| Purpose
of the Master Plan
Bayon (latter half of 12th century), the central temple
of Angkor Thom, displays an ambiguous character as a result
of its complex history of transformation and expansion which,
as will be discussed later, is embraced by an architectural
style seen nowhere else. Bayon is not only a representative
structure in the cultural history of Khmer architecture
along with Angkor Wat (first half of 12th century). It would
not be an exaggeration to say that its uniqueness makes
it a preeminent monument in the history of mankind. In addition
to their value as a world heritage, Bayon and Angkor Thom
are proof of the prosperous history of the Angkor dynasty,
they are living places of worship not only for the residents
of the Angkor– Siem Reap area but for all the people
of Cambodia, and they are today the center of Angkor tourism.
Precisely because the significance of Bayon goes beyond
the symbolism of traditional culture, it is one of the most
important monuments to the Cambodian people. However, due
to reasons that will be discussed later, Bayon is also one
of the most deteriorated monuments in serious danger of
collapse. Moreover, because it is a dense agglomeration
of buildings created by impulsive, on-site construction
techniques, it is one of the most technically difficult
monuments to restore.
Due to such compounded reasons, full-scale conservation
measures for Bayon Temple as a whole had continued to be
put on hold, even though it was in urgent need of conservation
and restoration work.
Ever since JSA began preliminary surveys in October 1992,
we held a strong wish to contribute to the conservation
of Bayon. However, based on an understanding of the difficulties
mentioned above, we became keenly aware of the need for
a master plan that would present a comprehensive policy
for conservation and restoration, and realized that the
formulation of such a master plan would itself comprise
a long-term project. It was necessary for restoration activities
to be based on studies and research of Bayon and Khmer architecture
in general, as well as on an accurate grasp of original
Khmer construction technologies. More specifically, in addition
to a multidisciplinary study on the meaning of Bayon, it
became absolutely necessary to establish a route for technology
transfers. Japanese researchers and engineers would first
study the original technologies of Bayon that are unusual
even among traditional Khmer construction technologies,
and they would then transfer the knowledge to Cambodian
workers. Around this time in 1992, the Northern Library
was considered to be facing the most imminent danger within
the entire Bayon complex. The restoration of the library
was naturally our main goal, but we predicted that our efforts
to restore the library would simultaneously have great significance
when formulating a comprehensive master plan for Bayon.
Another basic feature of the Bayon Master Plan was that
it was formulated based on a framework of international
cooperation. Studies and research of Bayon and other Angkor
monuments conducted by l'École Française d'Extrême-Orient
(EFEO) and past restoration and conservation efforts have
undeniably contributed beyond measure. Since the beginning,
we at JSA hoped to learn from and cooperate with EFEO. In
August 1994, H. E. Mr. Vann Molyvann, State Minister in
charge of Angkor, summoned representatives from JSA and
EFEO to the Terrace of the Elephants in the Royal Plaza
of Angkor Thom, and expressed his wish to make Angkor Thom
into a heritage like the Heijo capital, the ancient capital
of Nara, and Bayon into a monument like the Ise Shrine.
To that end, he requested the close cooperation of JSA and
EFEO in the conservation of Angkor Thom, and the efforts
of an international team which would include Cambodian workers
to address the restoration of Bayon from the survey and
research stage.
The National Research Institute for Cultural Properties,
Nara, located at the site of the Heijo Palace, is the key
center for the study and research of ancient architecture
and cities in Japan and technologies for their conservation
and restoration. The Heijo Park, where the organization
is undertaking the restorative development of the ancient
capital, is also a mecca for cultural tourism. H. E. Mr.
Vann Molyvann also focused his attention on Ise Shrine,
not so much because it worships the ancestral deities of
the imperial family, but perhaps more because the beautiful
environment of the sacred place is always maintained as
the spiritual home of the Japanese people. JSA couldn't
agree more with this idea.
In 1996, all foreign teams and the young generation of Cambodians
working in Angkor were called on to attend the Bayon Symposium.
As a part of the effort to carry out restoration activities
for Bayon and Angkor at the global level, world authorities
in this field were asked to participate in the symposium
headed by APSARA, an organization affiliated with the Cambodian
government, organized by UNESCO, and sponsored by JSA. The
primary goal was the formulation of a framework for the
Bayon Master Plan, but there was actually a larger theme
of discussing the future direction of studies and research
and measures for conservation and restoration of not only
Bayon but the Angkor monuments as a whole.
An official international coordination council (ICC) for
cooperation in the conservation and restoration of the Angkor
monuments had already been launched in 1993. The council
was basically established so that formal discussions could
be held among the governments of approximately thirty countries
and international institutions. However, the Bayon Symposium
played an important role as a forum for technical discussions
on studies and technologies, and continued to be held every
year at Siem Reap, for a total of nine times until December
2004. The basic structure of the Bayon Master Plan was formed
through the Bayon Symposiums, but it was precisely this
mechanism of international cooperation directed to formulating
the Master Plan that both directly and indirectly influenced
the activities of JSA and other foreign teams in Angkor.
In this respect, it can be said that half the goal of the
Bayon Master Plan has already been achieved.
Be that as it may, the objectives of the Bayon Master Plan
can be summarized as follows.
(1) To academically study and research the religious, artistic,
and architectural properties of Bayon Temple and the significance
of its conservation and restoration from a multidisciplinary
approach.
(2) To carry out restoration work by integrating the processes
of elucidating, experiencing, training, and mastering the
traditional construction techniques of the Bayon and Angkor
monuments.
(3) To utilize past research results pertaining to the Bayon
and Angkor monuments and engage in plan formulation and
restoration work under a framework of international cooperation
centering on Cambodian youths in order to apply the knowledge
and wisdom of the international community.
(4) To fully harmonize the significance of Bayon to the
Cambodian people and society, to international tourism,
and as a world heritage, and to aim for eternal conservation.
(5) The records of activities implemented by each team in
Angkor should be disclosed and applied to the cultivation
of Cambodian experts.
The ultimate goal of the Bayon Master Plan is to provide
a fundamental and comprehensive policy that would ensure
the effective coordination and execution of the above interrelated
objectives. |
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Method
and Composition of the Master Plan
The execution of each of the structural objectives (1) to
(5) which define the goal mentioned previously is in fact
that fundamental policy for the formulation of the Bayon
Master Plan, and the general framework of the Bayon Master
Plan was created through the accumulation of presentations,
discussions, and recommendations from the annual Bayon Symposium.
The theme for each year's Bayon Symposium was decided in
consideration of the deep problems confronting each team
involved in the actual conservation and restoration work
for the Bayon and Angkor monuments, and based on a conscious
awareness of the issues that should be addressed by the
Bayon Master Plan.
Therefore, teams participating in the Bayon Symposium could
present the results of their activities up to that point
and expect to be able to reflect the details of the discussion
on their examination of issues they are facing at that time.
This was probably the most important aim of the Bayon Master
Plan.
Depending on the objective, surveys not only focused on
Bayon, but were expanded to include other relevant Angkor
monuments (art history, architecture history). In addition
to various academic studies, such as the construction process
of Bayon (archaeology), identification of fallen elements
(petrology, archaeology), deterioration factors of the bas-reliefs
(conservation science, petrology), causes of structural
deterioration in tower buildings and terraces (architecture
structure, geotechnical and basic engineering, petrology),
and measurements and three-dimensional images, JSA's experiences,
training, and results of restoration work for the Northern
Library of Bayon, the Northern Library inside the Outermost
Enclosure of Angkor Wat, and Prasat Suor Prat N1 tower in
the Royal Plaza of Angkor Thom were combined and reflected
in the details of the Bayon Master Plan. Details of the
above are compiled in 2 chapters of the introduction, 3
chapters of the main discourse, conclusion, and 13 sections
of the appendix (documentation of the results of each specialized
survey and restoration work) of the Bayon Master Plan.
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