Elements reposted from the Fresno State Magazine article “Eyeing a New Partnership” by Eddie Hughes with photos by Cary Edmondson.
Gazing up at the intricate rockwork beneath the remnants of an ancient Cambodian temple, a group of students follows its professor through the entryway as if it’s a portal into another time and place. The dense jungle landscape has reclaimed the temple, with trees sprouting high atop the structure and roots as thick as boa constrictors seemingly squeezing the stone façade into submission. As birds chirp and siamang apes sing nearby, the group scans the horizon, wary of predators. Just a few feet away is a gently flowing stream, known as a popular watering hole for Malayan tigers, and home to the Sunda gharial, a large crocodilian species. What an adventure this is going to be.
The impressive surroundings, inspired by Southeast Asian temples such as Bayon and Ta Prohm from 12th and 13th century Cambodia, are all part of the experience envisioned by Fresno Chaffee Zoo leadership. The detailed rockwork is similar to the scenic design one might expect of a Disneyland attraction, transitioning visitors into another era. Photo by Cary Edmondson. 
To make sure the Kingdoms of Asia exhibition was authentic and respectful to the cultures represented, advisory groups were formed with subject-matter experts like Noonsuk who used their expertise and met with members of the Southeast Asian community to bring the project to life in an honorable way. Photo by Cary Edmondson. 
Inspired by the Bayon Temple in Cambodia, Noonsuk advised the group on the significance of four faces atop the structure serving as the entrance to the exhibition. The faces represent a deity looking over the people to the north, east, south and west. Photo by Cary Edmondson. 
Noonsuk helped influence intricate details of the design, from the circular shape of the temple’s pillars, to the rockwork depicting songbirds and serpents that were often considered sacred in Southeast Asian cultures. Photo by Cary Edmondson.
This Southeast Asian jungle habitat is only miles away from the Fresno State campus. It’s part of the new Kingdoms of Asia exhibition at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo.
“It’s beyond words, it’s so impressive,” says Dr. W. Saam Noonsuk, an art history professor at Fresno State who served as a cultural adviser for the new exhibition and now looks forward to sharing the experience with his students. “It looks real. It’s quite authentic. This project will be transformative for my students because they don’t have these types of temples around Fresno.”
To read the full story about this and other partnerships between Fresno State and the Fresno Chaffee Zoo, visit magazine.fresnostate.edu.
The College of Arts and Humanities at Fresno State 