Khlong Banglamphoo (คลองบางลำพู), i.e. ‘Banglamphoo Canal’, is another name used for the northern section of Khlong Khoo Meuang (คลองคูเมือง), which runs from the Fan Fah Bridge near Pom Maha Kaan (ปัอมมหากาฬ), where it connects with Khlong Maha Naak (คลองมหานาค), to the Chao Phraya River near Pom Phra Sumeru (ป้อมพระสุเมรุ) in Banglamphoo District. Pom Phra Sumeru (ป้อมพระสุเมรุ), i.e. ‘Fort Mt. Meru’, and Pom Maha Kaan (ปัอมมหากาฬ), i.e. the ‘Great Black Fort’, are the only two remaining forts that once defended Rattanakosin (รัตนโกสินทร์), i.e. the area of Bangkok on the right bank of the Chao Phrya River, distinguished from Thonburi on the left bank, and the part of the capital that today corresponds more or less with the district Phra Nakhon, and of which Banglamphoo Canal was the northern frontier. Along this canal is a shrine dedicated to King Taksin the Great, the former Chao Phraya or General who cleansed the nation of the Burmese invaders that had destroyed the former capital Ayutthaya. He consequently became King and was the only monarch of Siam when the country's capital was located across the river in Thonburi. King Taksin was of Chinese descent, hence the Chinese character of the shrine in Banglamphoo, including the red colour of the pillars and the many depictions of Chinese figures and animals with highly symbolic meaning, such as a golden Chinese imperial lion with the Chinese character wang (王) for ‘King’ on its forehead; Lu Tong-pin (呂洞賓) and Chang Kuo Lao (張果老), two of the Eight Immortals, playing a game of Chinese chess (xiang qi), with the latter holding his attribute, i.e. a yugu (鱼鼓) or fish drum; Mandarin ducks and lotusses; peaches, symbols of longevity; Peony flowers, i.e. the national flower of China; a pair of cranes, birds that mate for life and as such a symbol of harmonious relationships; a pair of carp, with fish in Chinese being called yú (鱼), i.e. a homonym of yú (逾) meaning ‘to exceed’ and yú (余), meaning ‘surplus’, they thus represent abundance, whereas their portrayal in pair symbolizes tenacity, domestic felicity, as well as fertility, while their ever-open eyes represent eternally active compassion; and so on. 回