EachkingwantedtObuildasplendidtemple.TheyweretryingtocreateHeavenonEarth.ThewholeofAngkorwasbuiltoveraperiodofabout600years.Itneverstopped.ThisancientcityisknowntotheworldasAngkorWatafteritsmostbeautifultemple，butthetruewonderisthecityitself，whichisactuallycalledAngkor.Thefirsttempleswerecompletedintheeighthcenturyby，earlyKhmerkingJayavarmanandhisheirskeptbuildingonhislegacy.ItwastorecreateinHindumythologytheMountMira，theHinduHeaven.Andthekingswantedtoelevatethemselvestoagodlikestatusandprogres—sivekingsenlargeduponit.AndSOitjustgrewandgrew.ThelushjungleparadisetheycreatedinevitablycaughttheattentionofeneighboringkingdomofSiam（nowknownasThailand）。Afteronehundredyearsofoffandonbattles，theThaiailiesbegantogettheupperhand.Attheendofit，theCambodianpeoplewereexhausted.Theirresourceshadrunout.TheThaishadarelativelyeasyvictorywhentheyfinallysackedAngkorin1431.Butamysterysurroundstheirvictory.WithoutwarningtheThaiarmiesabandonedAngkorassuddenlyastheyconquereditandtothisdaynooneknowswhy.TheRoyalCourtjustlit—erallywalkedawayfromAngkorcompletely.Thecoupleoftemplesweremaintainedandvisitedfromtimetotime.ButbasicallytheyjustturnedtlhejrbackonitThemagnificentcitybecamelostinthemistsoftime.RumorsofsacredcityfloatedthroughoutthejunglesofSoutheastAsiaforcenturies：
Thelocalsweretellingstories.TherehadbeenFrenchnaturaliststhroughthearea，butnoonebelievedthetales.Then，in1860theFrenchexplorerHenriMahoutsetouttofindAngkor.Onedayhesteppedintoajungleclearingandfoundhimselfwalkingthroughtheimperialruinsoftheancientcity.Overonehundredyearlater，theworldalsobegantounder-standthegloryofAngkor.
templen.聖堂，廟宇，教堂，禮拜堂，太陽穴，鬢角mythologyn.神話，神話學literallyn.逐字地，照字麵地；真正地；簡直naturalistn.自然主義者mahoutan.趕象人，象夫