Neak Pean (pronounced Ponn) is built upon a sharply rectangular artificial lake the Khmers were so fond of digging out. This is a replica of Lake Anavatapta in the Himalayas, situated at the top of the universe which was supposed to possess extraordinarily purificatory powers. Its construction followed a formula by which it became, in essence, the original lake. In this way the Khmer king saved himself the kind of gigantic wild-goose chase sometimes undertaken by the Chinese Emperors in their searches for similar legendary sites. In other words, if Mohammed can’t go to the mountain, have the mountain come to Mohammed. The construction of Neak Pean was a trifle for those days, not occupying more than 10,000 men for a mere three or four years!