On the way home at the end of our 2nd Day Tour with Theoun (Chan), he stopped at a Buddhist temple called Wat Thmey Temple.
This temple is not only a working temple for Buddhist monks but also a memorial in memory of the heavy loss of life that occurred here in Cambodia during the reign of Pol Pot and his communist Khmer Rouge government.
The bodies of the people massacred during the Khmer Rouge regime were buried in mass graves that became known as the “killing fields.” The phrase later became the title of a movie about the horrors of the Khmer Rouge era, “The Killing Fields”. A more recent movie by Angela Jolie titled, “First they killed my father” is also about the horrors a family endured during this era.
Back then, this particular Buddhist temple grounds, was a concentration site were learned intellectuals and innocent people were imprisoned, tortured and brutally killed. The display of skulls in a showcase shows how these people were massacred with fatal blows to the base of the skull.
The sign posts on the property and the temple’s “Guilty Pavalion Display”, tell the horrendous story of the Khmer Rouge’s cruel regime and it’s reign of terror under the leadership of Pol Pot.
Pol Pot was a political leader whose communist Khmer Rouge government led Cambodia from 1975 to 1979.
During this time, an estimated 1.5 to 2 million Cambodians were either executed or died of starvation, disease or overwork.
It took 3 years, 8 months and 20 days for nearly one-third of the Cambodian population to either starve to death, die of disease or be tortured and massacred.
Some historians regard the Pol Pot regime as one of the most barbaric and murderous in recent history. Many books have been written about this horrific time in the history of Cambodia and the world was shocked that a genocide like this could happen again.
Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge went on this rampage imprisoning, torturing and killing all intellectuals, city residents, civil servants and religious leaders, in order to achieve a classless communist society.
Wat Thmey Temple is a very small monument in remembrance of the “killing fields”. The main detention center, S-21 in Phnom Pehn is notorious for the imprisonment of roughly 20,000 people of which only 7 000 survived.
It took our landlord Vichot, years to open up to us about life during the time of the Khmer Rouge. The stories he has shared with us are heart breaking. How as a boy, he was taken from his parents by the Khmer Rouge and what he endured at the hands of the Khmer Rouge soldiers has taught us so much about strength, endurance, courage, honour and the power of forgiveness.
After hearing the stories of his suffering at the hands of the Khmer Rouge soldiers, we have a better understanding of why he is always busy, either in the garden or with a new project, humming or whistling away, focusing on the task at hand. He always says “don’t think”!
Richard said a wonderful thing the other day when he was watching our landlord Vichot, who we call Papa, working on our Buddha fountain with such a peaceful smile on his face. He said that Vichot is our Buddha. Our teacher. As we learn from him everyday. He has taught us so much about how to live life simply. How to count each and every blessing. How to be grateful and to give thanks. How to live in the present without suffering. We suffer when we constantly look back and focus on the past, a past we cannot change. How not to worry about the future but to live for now. To just “Be” in the present with acceptance of what is. We are so thankful for Vichot, our Buddha and teacher.
On a lighter note, Theoun (Chan) and Richard had a good laugh at me when we were walking around the temple grounds. My perspective, from where I was standing, I thought I saw what appeared to be a pregnant Buddha at the Buddha shrine ahead of us. A pregnant Buddha? How could that be? Buddha was a man, not a woman?
I was intrigued, so walked closer and as I changed position from where I was standing, it all became clear. The Buddha was holding a bowl in front of him. It was a bowl, not a bulging pregnant tummy. LOL
I was reminded that life is sometimes like this, all about perspective and how we see things. Some see the glass as half full while others see the glass as half empty. So, we all need to at times change our perspective of how we see things. Starting every day with gratitude and thanks can do that!
With Khmer New Year coming up this week, our day tours to the Archaeological Park will be put on hold while we join in the festivities.
So, our next blog with be about celebrating the Khmer New Year!
We look forward to sharing this joyous occasion with you.