The Temple of Preah Khan: Angkor's Buddhist University

In this episode, we explore Preah Khan, one of the largest temple complexes built by King Jayavarman VII in the late 12th century. While Angkor Wat and the Bayon get most of the attention, Preah Khan was a functional university and hospital complex, with a library, chapels, and over 1,000 students. We discuss its dual identity as a Buddhist monastery dedicated to Avalokiteshvara and a fortress on the site of a decisive battle against the Cham. The episode also examines how the temple's inscriptions record the daily operations, including the 18 major deities and the community of monks who maintained the site. We touch on the recent archaeological discoveries by the Greater Angkor Project and the ongoing conservation efforts to preserve this sprawling ruin. Finally, we reflect on what Preah Khan tells us about the intellectual life of the Khmer Empire and its transition from Mahayana Buddhism to Theravada Buddhism after Jayavarman VII's reign. #PreahKhan #JayavarmanVII #Angkor #KhmerEmpire #BuddhistUniversity #Avalokiteshvara #GreaterAngkorProject #ChamInvasion #MahayanaBuddhism #TheravadaBuddhism #12thCentury #SoutheastAsianHistory #Archaeology #TempleArchitecture #Library #Hospital #Conservation #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo