Pig Memorial (Sahachart Memorial)

Location :
Located at the base of Pi Kun Bridge (Klong Khu Muang Doem Bridge),
across from Wat Ratchapradit, Sao Chingcha, Bangkok.
Age :
Built in 1913 during the reign of King Rama VI.
Type of Monument :
It is a registered monument, recorded in the 105th Thai Government Gazette, Article 188, on 16 November 1988.

History

The Pig Memorial was built in 1913 to commemorate the 50th birthday of Queen Saovabha Phongsri (born Friday duen ai ram 7 khum (Waning of the 7th night of the 1st Lunar Month, Year of the Pig, or 1 January 1863). It is located at the base of Pi Kun Bridge, which was built two years prior, to commemorate the Queen's 4th Zodiac Cycle.
The Pig Memorial is also known as Sahachart Memorial. Sahachart means "those who were born in the same year". The name references the three high-ranking officials who were born in the same year as the Queen: Prince Narisara Nuwattiwong, Phraya Pipat Kosa (Celestino Xavier) and Phraya Ratcha Songkram (Korn Hongsakul). The three erected this monument in honour of the Queen in the shape of a pig, signifying the Chinese Zodiac Year in which the Queen was born, as were the three officials. On the pedestal of the monument a blessing to the Queen is engraved and also includes the names of the commemorators.
What was special about the memorial is that it was meant to be “u-tok tan” meaning giving alms by means of giving water. In other words, the memorial was also a source of clean water for the general public. The idea behind this generosity belonged to the three commemorators. Prince Narisara Nuwattiwong, Phraya Pipat Kosa (Celestino Xavier) and Phraya Ratcha Songkram (Korn Hongsakul) wanted to give the Queen a birthday gift, but the Queen said she would not receive any gifts that year. The three officials brainstormed to find a loophole in the Queen's forbiddance, and came up with the idea that they would build a clean water supply for the people in the name of the Queen instead of giving her a gift. Many years later, the waterworks were removed and only the memorial remained.

Value and Significance

The Pig Memorial is the only monument related to the royal family built in the shape of an animal, in this case a pig,
signifying the Chinese Zodiac Year.

Architectural and Artistic Features

Designed by Prince Narisara Nuwattiwong, the body of the pig is made of black oxide steel, standing on an elevated layered stone base. Over the years, the stone base has been restored with cement and raised higher. The 80cm wide and 58cm tall pedestal is made of a slab of grey slate, inscribed with a blessing to Queen Saovabha Phongsri.
Initially, the memorial stood with no decoration, and a water pipe was installed next to it for u-tok tan. Since the pipe was removed, the memorial is nowadays decorated with lights. The area around it is paved and decorated with rocks and flowers, surrounded by a white fence. Many people visit and worship the memorial by burning incense and covering the pig with gold leaf, fabric, and garlands. It is commonly called "Pig Memorial", similarly to the bridge next to it which is called "Pig Bridge" (Saphan Moo) taken from the Year of the Pig.

Preservation and Restoration

  • The year is unknown, but at some point, the water pipe was removed. At various times, the pig has been repainted gold, and the mound on which it stands raised higher. The ground was paved and decorated with rocks and flowers. White fences were also erected around it.
รูปหมูหล่อด้วยโลหะรมดำยืนอยู่บนเนินหิน
ฐานมีศิลาจารึกเป็นหินชนวนสีเทา ขนาดกว้าง 80 ซม. สูง 58 ซม.
เดิมอนุสาวรีย์นี้ตั้งอยู่โดดๆ และมีท่อน้ำสำหรับจ่ายน้ำประปาอยู่ติดกัน เพื่อเป็นการให้ทานด้วยน้ำ หรือ “อุทกทาน” แต่ภายหลังท่อน้ำถูกรื้อออก

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