The Emerald Buddha's Robes
The three robes of gold worn by the Emerald Buddha are the seasonal garments changed on the sacred image in the Wat Phra Kaew, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok, in a ceremony performed by the king. The image, carved from a single block of jade, sits above the golden pedestal in the royal chapel, and its vestments are swapped three times a year, at the start of the hot, rainy, and cool seasons, in a rite that binds the monarchy to the welfare of the realm. The robes themselves are made of gold cloth and jewelled ornaments, and their alternation is fixed by royal ritual. The image's l