In the Old Quarter, the ceiling of Wat Xieng Mouane is painted with gold naga (mythical serpent-being) and the elaborate háang thíen (candle rail) has naga at either end. With backing from Unesco and New Zealand, the monks' quarters have been restored as a classroom for training young novices and monks in the artistic skills needed to maintain and preserve Luang Prabang's temples. Among these skills are woodcarving, painting and buddha-casting, all of which came to a virtual halt after 1975.
