On the southeastern side of Kwahn Phayao (กว๊านพะเยา), i.e. the lake in the northern Thai city of Phayao (พะเยา), is the Green Peacock Park, known in Thai as Uthayaan Nok Yoong Thai (อุทยานนกยูงไทย), i.e. ‘Thai Peacock Park’, with Nok Yoong Thai being the Thai name for the Green Peafowl, a type of peacock with the scientific designation Pavo muticus and native to the tropical forests of Southeast Asia, including Thailand, where it is the largest of all birds, though rarely seen in the wild, where it dwells in mixed woodlands and lowland clearings, especially near rivers. Green Peafowl are birds related to the Indian Blue Peafowl (Argusianus argus), but unlike the latter, both sexes of the Green Peafowl are quite similar in appearance, making it rather difficult to distinguish the male peacock from the female peahen. In mythology, it is often referred to by its Sanskrit generic name Mayura (मायूर) and is the mount of Skanda (स्कन्द) or Karttikeya (कार्तिकेय), the Hindu god of war and one of the sons of Shiva (शिव) and his consort Devi (देवी); as well as the mount of Sarasvati (सरस्वती, สรัสวดี), the Hindu goddess of art and learning, and the consort of Brahma (ब्रह्मा). In Buddhism, the bird is furthermore the mount of Amitabha (अमिताभ), one of the five transcendental or dhyani buddhas of Mahayana Buddhism who reigns over Western Paradise and is the personification of Eternal Light. The Golden Peacock Suvarnavabhasa (सुवर्णवभासा), depicted in the centre of the park, is a former chaht (ชาติ) or incarnation of the Buddha, usually referred to as the Peacock King, who lived near the Himalayas and who used to recite the Mahamayuri (महामायूर) dharani (धारणी), a magical formula used to ensure protection, daily with great devotion. One day the Peacock King travelled with his family to the mountains, forgetting to recite the dharani. He was caught by hunters and thinking of his forgetfulness of the dharani he immediately began to recite it and was able to free himself. Consequently, the dharani became known as the Golden Peacock Charm and is believed to be efficient in all cases of dangers, on top of a protection from snake bites. Akin to some states in Myanmar, the peacock is a symbol of northern Thailand, where it is often found as a decorative item on temple gable boards and in Lan Na (ล้านนา)-style architecture. It is also celebrated in the northern-style Peacock Dance, which originates from Myanmar's Shan State. In Myanmar, the peacock is the symbol of the Konbaung () Dynasty, i.e. the last dynasty that ruled Burma, while in the nation's practice of Theravada Buddhism and its relevant iconography, it is a symbol for the sun, referring to the fact that this bird was once known as Sun Turkey and associated with the power of the solar deities, that ‒in combination with the rabbit, which represents the moon ‒ signifies Enlightenment, akin to the Chinese characters for sun and moon, i.e. 日 (ri) and 月 (yue), that when placed together as 明 (ming), become to mean ‘bright’, ‘clear’, or ‘to understand. The peacock is hence often used decoratively, e.g. as in the Peacock Throne, a famous jewelled throne that was the seat of the emperors of the Mughal (मुग़ल) Empire in India. 回