Por Sala Tan

This Kao Kwaang, a ritual blade carved by Por Sala Tan during his solitary cave retreat, is one of his most spiritually complex creations. Standing approximately nine inches long, it was crafted from sacred bone material while he entered deep meditation and descended into the realms of Yama, the Lord of Death. There, through disciplined trance and astral vision, he witnessed the true form of Yama — the ruler of karmic balance, stern yet just — and returned to carve this exact image as revealed to him.

Every line of this Kao Kwaang carries intent. The upper section depicts Yama crowned and holding the staff of judgment, surrounded by skeletal motifs symbolizing transformation. The two silver takruts tied at the hilt were inscribed by Por Sala Tan himself, sealing the connection between the physical realm and the spirit domain. It was consecrated in at least nine major ceremonies, each performed by Por Sala Tan personally, before he entrusted it to a family living in a small wooden house in the northern district of Fang.

That family was instructed to place the blade at their entrance — not as a threat, but as a boundary to prevent wandering spirits and black energies from entering. For years, their home remained peaceful despite the area’s history of hauntings and disturbances. In time, the family prospered — their small trade business expanding rapidly — and they eventually relocated, leaving the house untouched. The Kao Kwaang was then returned to Ac Lek, Por Sala Tan’s son, who safeguarded it among the master’s remaining relics. It was only during a recent visit to Fang that this piece resurfaced — resting in the same house it once protected, now silent but still radiating immense power.

To the layman, this is a blade for meditation and protection — a spiritual anchor against betrayal, malice, and hidden harm. But to those who understand its lineage, it is a ceremonial weapon of Yama’s domain, used in rites of spirit liberation and karmic release. Ac Lek himself employed it during several liberation ceremonies for Mae Prai spirits, invoking the authority of Yama to sever lingering attachments and free them into the next realm.

The Kao Kwaang’s presence is commanding — carved during a period when Por Sala Tan’s practice had reached full maturity. It bridges both worlds: the living and the unseen, the protective and the liberating. In its true essence, this is not a weapon of death, but a blade of mercy, cutting through illusion, fear, and spiritual oppression — guarding its keeper with the justice and protection of Yama himself.