English (UK) 
Français (France) 
Nederlands (nl-NL) Delve into the enigmatic caves of Po Win Taung, Myanmar, where the silent grandeur of ancient Buddhism is carved in stone. In a little over 4 minutes, journey into the heart of an enduring sanctuary, resonating with centuries-old devotion. Witness the thousands of Buddha depictions, echoing timeless reverence. From paintings that mirror offerings brought even today, to the very essence of Buddhist spirituality captured in rock – it's more than a video; it's a bridge to an age-old legacy. An enlightening visual journey beckons. Step into history, one frame at a time.
This film was made on the basis of photos and videos taken during the trip Myanmar • Burma (EN)
Reading the text below will help you better understand the cultural context of the images in this video.
In the vicinity of Moniwa, there are two very different cave sites.
On the one hand, the ancient site of Pho Win Taung (or Po Win Taung) is an ancient Buddhist shrine and a little further, a kind of town cut in the rock is of much more recent construction (see here).
Pho Win Taung
Po Win Taung is a sacred site in Myanmar and has hundreds of caves, some natural and others (the vast majority) have been excavated to make shrines to the glory of Buddha.
Most of these caves were excavated between the 14th and 18th centuries and contain paintings and / or sculptures of Buddha. There would be a total of around 10,000 representations of Buddha in these caves.
The site is not an open-air museum, but a still living place where the faithful continue to come to honor Buddha by burning incense and bringing donations, consisting of baskets of fruit, coconut and bananas quite similar to some paintings dating back over 300 years.
The site deserves better monitoring and maintenance, because it is starting to deteriorate in places. Many factors explain this degradation. In addition to the shameless antiques looters who sometimes come to help themselves, the unsupervised tourists, the thousands of wandering macaques and the atmospheric conditions contribute to the slow agony of these magnificent exceptional troglodyte temples.
about the place, Pho Win Taung:
Located about forty kilometers from Moniwa in Myanmar, the Pho Win Taung site is famous for its excavated temples. Temples carved into the rock are part of Buddhist traditions. Pho Win Taung has around 800 caves carved into the rock and there are nearly 4,000 sculptures. There are also sanctuaries (monasteries, convents and stupas) whose walls are painted.
The excavations of Pho Win Taung date from the beginning of the 17th century.
About a kilometer from these caves, another more recent troglodyte site. Shwe Ba Taung dates from the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. The influences of this other site are more eclectic, mixing Western architectural styles with the Buddhist tradition of Burma ...
Spoken comments in the film:
The Pho Win Taung site has several hundred excavated caves which house just over 4,000 Buddha statues. Located about a kilometer from another much more recent troglodyte site (see another film in this series) Pho Win Taung leaves an impression of a much more authentic site.
The monkeys probably had the same thought because they are found by the hundreds between and on these monuments dating from the 17th century.
Music:
- YouTube video library - Approaching Space Time Event
- YouTube video library - Court and Page
Disclaimer: Despite its appropriateness, copyright issues prevent the use of burmese traditional music in "Pho Win Taung, cave Buddhist sanctuary • Myanmar", hence the use of royalty-free music. Despite our careful selection, some might regret this decision, which is necessary to avoid potential lawsuits. Although difficult, this decision is the only viable solution.
Links to related pages
• Monuments •
Pho Win Taung • Excavated Temples - Buddhist Cave Jewels
• List of videos about Pho Win Taung on this site •
Shwe Ba Taung, excavated temples • Myanmar
Pho Win Taung, cave Buddhist sanctuary • Myanmar
