Smithsonian Channel - Wonders of Burma Series 1 (2015) Part 1 Shrines of Gold

Wonders of Burma Series 1

Before Burma was a country, it was a patchwork of kingdoms and dynasties, until one of the greatest religious reformations in Asian history transformed the area into a Buddhist wonderland. See the myths and monuments that united kings and peasants and created the Burmese culture that still exists today. We also show how this devotion to the Buddha is represented in the remarkable golden architecture that dots the cities and countryside with magnificent temples, stupas, pagodas, and statues.

Part 1 Shrines of Gold

Throughout Burma, temples, stupas, and statues of gold pop out in the lush, green landscape. This golden architecture has become Burma's calling card, but how and why did that become the standard here? Join us as we travel across Myanmar, the jewel of Asia, and reveal the history and myths surrounding these shrines, each one created as an offering to the Buddha. We will visit such treasures as the golden pagoda of Mt. Kyaiktiyo, which rests perilously atop a huge boulder, the 344-foot Shwedagon Pagoda, and the revered Mahamuni Buddha Temple.

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