Miniature Angkor: The Lifelong Devotion of a Khmer Rouge Survivor

This former collaborator of the French School of the Far East, a survivor of the Khmer Rouge, has recreated miniature replicas of the Angkor temples in his garden.

Dy Proeung

Nothing could stop Mr. Dy Proeung from devoting his life to the Khmer temples he cherishes so deeply. Yet, the twists and turns of history have not spared this man with multiple lives, all marked by the grandeur of Angkor.

Grandeur of the Miniatures

It's a small, peaceful garden right in the heart of Siem Reap, easily spotted by its entrance adorned with sculptures. Once the threshold is crossed and after paying the modest sum of $1.50, the visitor can contemplate Dy Proeung's work: four faithful scale reproductions of the Angkor temples, their outlines worn by the elements and covered in moss. Just like their illustrious models, vegetation is reclaiming its rights there, with wild grasses growing amid a jumble of debris, molds, and pieces of broken or unfinished sculptures. Contemplating this miniature Angkor alone justifies the visit, but it's the encounter with their creator that will inevitably be the most enriching. For if Mr. Dy Proeung's garden resembles no other, the same holds true for the destiny of its owner.

It's a small, peaceful garden right in the heart of Siem Reap, easily spotted by its entrance adorned with sculptures

A Promising Career

At 82 years old, Dy Proeung still insists on personally welcoming each visitor. In perfect French, the ever-sprightly old man takes pleasure in unveiling his creations. If his interlocutor shows curiosity, a chair will be brought: the incredible tale of an extraordinary life will then begin. Born in 1937, Dy Proeung is 16 when Cambodia gains independence.

A brilliant student, he chooses to pursue a degree in architecture at the prestigious Royal University of Fine Arts in Phnom Penh. He graduates in 1960 and joins the French School of the Far East in Siem Reap. With four others, he is tasked with drawing up plans of the main temples—a titanic job that will take him several years. He rubs shoulders with all the great names of the era and collaborates with Guy Nafilyan and Jacques Dumarçay, who will use his surveys in his reference book on the Bayon temple. Mr. Dy Proeung has no idea then that the plans thus produced will seal his destiny for the rest of his life.

During the 3 years, 8 months, and 20 days of Khmer Rouge rule, Dy Proeung will miraculously manage to conceal his true identity

A Fabulous Paper Treasure

In 1975, Cambodia plunges into the absurd violence of a new regime for which every intellectual is a threat to be eliminated. Aware of the danger, Dy Proeung decides to hide all traces of his status but refuses to destroy his precious plans. One night, as fighting draws near, he heads into the countryside to bury his most cherished documents.

During the 3 years, 8 months, and 20 days of Khmer Rouge rule, Dy Proeung will miraculously manage to conceal his true identity and will be sent to the fields as an agricultural worker. Without ever stopping thinking about the temples, as he points out. One of the rare surviving intellectuals, the former architect returns to Siem Reap as early as 1979 and manages to recover his fabulous treasure. A treasure all the more precious since a large number of archives were destroyed by the Khmer Rouge, including those held at the EFEO premises.

Replica of Angkor Wat

Another Angkor

But what to do with these plans, and how to make good use of them? Gradually, an idea matures into an obsession that will occupy Dy Proeung for six years: to create miniatures in his garden of the temples he had surveyed twenty years earlier. In 1982, he quits his position as village chief to devote himself entirely to his work. He starts with his favorite, Angkor Wat, followed by the Bayon, then Banteay Srei and Ta Keo—all built by his own hands in concrete, each requiring between 1 and 3 years of effort.

Discovery

In 1994, a British UNTAC soldier stumbles by chance upon this Khmer version of the "Ideal Palace" and alerts a few well-placed contacts. Dy Proeung's work is suddenly revealed, with ultimate recognition coming in 1995 when H.M. Norodom Sihanouk meets the artist, praises his work, and invites him to pass on his knowledge to the new generation. Since then, the scholar-sculptor has taught the secrets of Angkorian art to young apprentices at his school near Roluos, where he has created even more miniatures.

Replica of the Bayon

A Passion Still Intact

Dy Proeung gladly shares his story with all who visit him. Between 15 and 20 each day, which allows him to support his five children and grandchildren, some of whom live in the house next to the garden. The place is even listed on the indispensable TripAdvisor under "things to see/do in Siem Reap." Despite his age, the old master continues to visit his students and returns to those temples that have so incredibly marked his life whenever he can. And when asked about his new projects, Mr. Dy Proeung smiles and points to the top of his shirt: "The Legion of Honor."

Angkor Miniature Replicas,Street 17, right next to the Irina Sports Bar and not far from Po Lanka pagoda.