19-04-2016

CHINESE ARCHITECTURE & CULTURE

INFLUENCES OF
CONFUCIANISM
TAOISM
BUDDHISM

Traditional Chinese architecture can still be

seen throughout China, offering a tangible
expression of traditional Chinese culture.
Traditional Chinese architecture encompasses
palaces, temples, tombs, parks, and
residences.
Traditional Chinese architecture
represents the synthesis of political,
economic, cultural, and technical
influences over the ages.
In the past, these structures provided the
ancient Chinese people with functional
space to live and work in. Today, they make
us to experience the essence of Chinese
culture.

Chinese architecture refers to a style of architecture that has taken shape in East Asia over the
years. Over the centuries, the structural principles of Chinese architecture have remained largely
unchanged, the main changes being on the decorative details.
An ancient civilized nation and a great country on the East Asian continent, China possesses a
recorded history of 3,OOO years, during which it has created a unique, outstanding traditional
Chinese Culture.
Traditional Chinese buildings are always found in pairs or groups, whether they are residences,
temples or palaces.

CONFUCIANISM

Most structures in Chinese architecture are simple rectangles, and it is the architectural complex
composed by single structures.
Traditional Chinese architecture, unlike that of other cultures, uses wood-frame construction as
one of its most distinctive features.

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ARCHITECTURE & CONFUCIANISM

Confucius (551-479 BC) established the
Confucian school of thought around 500 BC,
during China's Spring and Autumn Period (770476BC).
Confucianism became one of the pillars of
Chinese culture, and was named China's official
state ideology around 100 BC, during the Han
Dynasty (206BC-220AD) by Emperor Han Wudi,
who reigned from 140-87 BC.
It continued to be revered throughout
subsequent dynasties.
Confucian philosophy attaches great importance
to ethics and human relationships, and is one of
the main pillars of Chinese culture.
The values of confucianism permeate the life,
thinking, and customs of the people.

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES :
Among the fundamental principles of
Confucian philosophy are:
Loyalty
Filial piety
moral integrity
Righteousness
benevolence
wisdom
Faith
Adherence to the Confucian code
The absolute authority of the ruler
over subject, father over child, and
husband over wife.

COURTYARD RESIDENCES: CONFUCIAN IDEOLOGY IN RESIDENTIAL DESIGN

Confucian ideology was the core of feudal
China's hierarchical social system.
Traditional courtyard residences drew strict
distinctions between interior and
exterior, superior and inferior, and
male and female; internal affairs and
external affairs, the honorable
(master) and humble (maid) ranking.
The compounds were enclosed and isolated
from the outside world, and serving as
material expressions of Confucian ideology.
The fundamental purpose of Rites in
Confucianism was to enable a ranking and
orderly system in a family.
The chinese quadrangle buildings
(known as Si He Yuan") was highly
influenced by Confucianism's rite.

Rites in Confucianism was a means of

regulating
order
in
human
relationship. Its ultimate purpose was to
ensure a social order.
The quadrangle building was one the reflected
rites in traditional chinese residential
building.
In traditional Chinese architecture,
o The center was considered to be superior
and the sides as inferior;
o the north was superior and the south
inferior;
o The left was superior and the right inferior;
o The front was superior and the back
inferior.

In courtyard residences,
WING
NORTH

SOUTH
EAST
WEST

ROOMS
Receives most sunlight; Center
Room - Living Room /Ancestral
hall
East rooms-grandparents room
West rooms-Head of the family
guest rooms, studies, kitchens,
and storerooms
Eldest Son & his family
younger sons and their families

The southern and back rooms will have

short walls to form a division between
internal and external family.
At the back are also rooms of woman who
are not yet married or for maids.

Woman cannot enter external region. Guests

cannot enter internal region.
All the windows in quadrangles are faced
towards the inside of the house. There are no
windows inside the rooms, which look
isolated. But inside the house, it formed a
natural system.
It emphasized the relationship between elder
lies and youngster, eldest son and younger
son, male and female status.
It reflected a parochial feudal class system of
"Higher-lower ranking class system",
"Internal and External", "Difference
between male and female",
"difference between master and
maid".

COURTYARD RESIDENCES: CONFUCIAN IDEOLOGY IN RESIDENTIAL DESIGN

Principal Room
East
wingEldest son
Courtyard

West wingyounger sons

Gate
of
Residential
complex

Plan of Typical Courtyard Residence - SIHEYUAN

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Aerial view of courtyard

residence

The 13th century capital city of Dadu was built using the architectural principles of the
Confucian classic Zhou Li: Kaogong Ji (Rites of the Zhou: Engineering References), which
states: "When designing a capital city, it should be laid out in a square grid measuring nine by
nine li (about 4.5 kilometers) per side, with three gates on each of the city walls.
There should be nine streets and nine avenues, each wide enough for nine horse carts to pass
abreast.
The palace should be in the center of the city, with the ancestral temple on the left, temples to
the deities on the right, office buildings in front, and a marketplace behind.
The layout of the city was extremely orderly, with clearly demarcated streets and districts.

Interior view of courtyard

THE CONFUCIAN CODE AND CITY PLANNING

City planning was based primarily on the Confucian code that held up the feudal system.
Urban planning has played an integral role in the life of Beijing throughout its history.
The city was laid out on a square grid, and covered an area of approx 50 square kms.
A high wall surrounded the entire city, with three gates on the east, west, and south walls, and
two gates on the north wall.
The main thoroughfares, which formed a north-south and east-west axis through the city, were
28M wide.
The secondary streets were 14 M wide, and the alleyways were 7M wide.
CITY PLAN OF DADU

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HIERARCHICAL DISTINCTIONS IN ARCHITECTURE

China's hierarchical social system gave rise to a highly restrictive system of architectural
regulations.
All construction was controlled by a building code that clearly differentiated rank and status.
This code controlled every aspect of design and construction, and was enforced as law.
A comprehensive building code was established which specified permissible construction for
each level of society, from the imperial family to the nobility, officials, & the common people.
Its regulations encompassed every aspect of building design and construction, including
scale, floor plan, roof shape, and decoration.
Stone lions: Only officials of the fifth rank and above were allowed to place the magnificent
stone lions outside the gates of their homes.
Officials in ancient China were classified according to rank. The fifth rank was regional
administrators,.
They have traditionally stood in front of Imperial palaces, Imperial tombs, government
offices, temples, and the homes of government officials and the wealthy, and were believed to
have powerful mythic protective benefits.

The number of
rows in a lion's
mane
further
indicated
the
rank of the
home's resident.
The emperor's
lions had thirteen
rows, those of
dukes
and
princes
had
twelve rows, and
those of officials
were determined
according
to
rank.

A Qing-era guardian lion pair within the Forbidden City

- The lions are always created in pairs, with the male
resting his paw upon the world and the female
restraining a playful cub that is on its back.

BEIJING'S FORBIDDEN CITY PALACE - BEST REPRESENTATION OF CONFUCIAN RITE

The Forbidden City represents the
ultimate architectural expression of
Confucian ideology.
Beijing's Forbidden City was the most
classical example and representation of
Confucian Rite system.
In Confucianism, there was a strong
emphasis on the relationship of an
individual in a collective society.
Forbidden city forms a super-large
quadrangle architecture that was the most
complex representation of this rite
relationship.
The Imperial Palace is the world's
largest wood-frame construction
royal complex.

Beijing's Forbidden City, designed by Ming

Dynasty (1368-1644) architect Kuai Xiang,
who lived from 1397 to 1481.
This massive imperial courtyard complex
clearly embodies the Confucian emphasis on
strict divisions of rank, and the
position of the individual within a
hierarchical system- Emphasis on
divisions between ruler and subjects, husband
and wife, Nobles and commoners etc.,
The Forbidden City served as the imperial
residence and seat of government for twentyfour emperors of the Ming and Qing (16441911) dynasties.
The Forbidden City covers 720,000 square
meters, and contains 9,999 rooms.

The complex includes ceremonial halls, The residential portion of the emperor was
governmental offices, and housing for
at the rear. At the center line from south to
servants and staff, as well as the palaces and
north are the living halls of the emperor
courtyards, in which the members of the royal
and queen.
family lived, studied, worshipped, and They were also formed by a group of 3 large
entertained.
halls to reflect the meaning of Past
The Emperor's working office was at
dynasty at the back .
the front of the city complex and was used In ancient times, Chinese nobles has the
by the Emperor to hold large ceremony.
system of 'one husband, one wife and many
Important ceremonial functions and audiences
concubines'.
with civil and military officials were carried The living hall of the queen was in the
out in three large halls.
centerline of the back while the other
These halls were constructed on a raised
concubines lived in 12 palace courtyards on
platform that extended from south to north,
east and west side.
along the Forbidden City's revered central axis.
The magnificence and central location of their This living arrangement was used to
reflect the ranking system between
construction were expressions of respect
the queen and concubines.
for imperial power.

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The design of the Forbidden City, from

its overall layout to the smallest detail,
was meticulously planned to reflect
philosophical and religious principles,
and above all to symbolise the majesty
of Imperial power. Some noted
examples of symbolic designs include:

Forbidden city Architecture of Quadrangles

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
J.
K.
L.
M.
N.

Meridian Gate
Gate of Divine Might
West Glorious Gate
East Glorious Gate
Corner towers
Gate of
Supreme
Harmony
Hall
of
Supreme
Harmony
Hall
of
Military
Eminence
Hall of Literary Glory
Southern Three Places
Palace of Heavenly
Purity
Imperial garden
Hall
of
Mental
Cultivation
Palace of Tranquil
Longevity

SYMBOLISM
Yellow is the color of the Emperor. Thus
almost all roofs in the Forbidden City bear
yellow glazed tiles. There are only two
exceptions. The library at the Pavilion of
Literary Profundity had black tiles because
black was associated with water, and thus
fire-prevention. Similarly, the Crown Prince's
residences have green tiles because green
was associated with wood, and thus growth.
The main halls of the Outer and Inner courts
are all arranged in groups of three the
shape of the Qian triagram, representing
Heaven.
The residences of the Inner Court on the
other hand are arranged in groups of six
the shape of the Kun triagram, representing
the Earth.

The sloping ridges of building roofs are

decorated with a line of statuettes led by a
man riding a phoenix and followed by an
imperial dragon. The number of statuettes
represents the status of the building a minor
building might have 3 or 5.
The Hall of Supreme Harmony has 10, the only
building in the country to be permitted this in
Imperial times. As a result, its 10th statuette,
called a "Hangshi", or "ranked tenth, is also
unique in the Forbidden City.
The layout of buildings follows ancient
customs laid down in the Classic of Rites.
Thus, ancestral temples are in front of
the palace. Storage areas are placed
in the front part of the palace
complex, and residences in the back.

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Taoism is a religion native to China. Laozi,a

famous thinker living in 6th Century BC,
established this philosophy and came to be
regarded as the father of Taoism.

THE UNIVERSE OF OPPOSITES YIN & YANG

YANG
YIN

DAOISM / TAOISM

It formed mainly during Eastern Han Dynasty

(25-220). Many Taoist ideas and thoughts are
greatly reflected in Taoist architecture.

BELIEFS

DAOISM
MAJOR DAOIST PRINCIPLES
1. Dao [Tao] is the first-cause of the
universe. It is a force that flows through
all life.
2. A believers goal is to become one with
Dao ; one with nature.
3. Wu wei - Let nature take its course.
- The art of doing nothing.
- Go with the flow!
4. Man is unhappy because he lives
according to man-made laws, customs,
& traditions that are contrary to the
ways of nature.

Feminine
Passive
Darkness
Cold
Weak
Earth
Moon

THE DAO (TAO)

To escape the social, political, &
cultural traps of life, one must
escape by:
1. Rejecting formal knowledge and
learning.
2. Relying on the senses and
instincts.
3. Discovering the nature and
rhythm of the universe.
4. Ignoring political and social laws.

Nature-worshiping and ghost-worshiping, popular in ancient Chinese society,

contributed a social and cultural basis to the formation of Taoism.

Daoism focused on meditation, breathing and

recitation of verses. This was the dominant
practice of Daoism until about 1,100 AD.
In the 5th Century AD, the Lingbao school
emerged which borrowed much from Buddhist
teachings such as reincarnation and cosmology.
The use of talismans and the practice of alchemy
were also associated with the Lingbao school.
In the 6th Century, Zhengyi Daoists, who
believed in protective talismans and rituals,
emerged. Zhengyi Daoists performed offering
rituals for showing thanks and the retreat ritual
that includes repentance recitations and
abstinence.
Around 1254, the Quanzhen school emerged
which used meditation and breathing to promote
longevity.

Masculine
Active
Light
Warmth
Strong
Heaven
Sun

Daoism has influenced Chinese

culture for over 2,000 years.
Its practices have given birth to
martial arts such as Tai Chi and
Qigong.
Healthy living such as practicing
vegetarianism and exercise.
And its texts have codified Chinese
views on morality and behavior,
regardless of religious affiliation.
The basic ideas of Taoism are
Changsheng (long living), Shen
(god), and Xian (immortal), etc.,

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MAIN TENETS

A RC H I T E C T UR E & DAO I S M

The Dao: The ultimate truth is the Dao or

The Way.
The Dao has several meanings. It is the basis
of all living things, it governs nature, and it
is a method to live by.
Daoists do not believe in extremes, instead
focusing on the interdependence of things.
There is no total good or evil or negative and
positive. The Yin-Yang symbol exemplifies
this view.
The black represents the Yin the white
represents the Yang. Yin is also associated
with weakness and passivity and Yang with
strength and activity.
The symbol shows that within the Yang there
exists the Yin and vice versa. All nature is
the balance between the two.

The De: Another key component of

Daoism is the De, which is the
manifestation of the Dao in all things.
De is defined as having virtue, morality
and integrity.
Immortality: Historically, the highest
achievement of a Daoist is to achieve
immortality through breathing,
meditation, helping others and the
use of elixirs.
Daoists believe that influential Daoists are
transformed into immortals who help
guide others.

A RC H I T E C T UR E & DAO I S M
Taoist architecture includes various structures
according to different functions, categorized as
palace for oblation and sacrifice, altar for
praying and offering, cubby for religious service,
residence for Taoist abbes and garden for
visitors.
During the last period of the East Han Dynasty
when Taoism was introduced, Taoist ascetics
mostly lived in huts and even caves in remote
mountains under guidance of their philosophy of
nature.
During the Jin dynasty and the Northern and
Southern dynasty, Taoism experienced reforms
and was accepted by the rulers.
Many Taoist temples were set up in the capital
under imperial orders. Taoist architecture
reached a rather large scale then.

Taoism reached its peak during the Tang

Dynasty and the Song Dynasty, when
Chinese timber framed architecture,
characterized by high base, broad roof
and perfect integration of decoration and
function, matured in all aspects were
built.
There were strict regulations on size,
structure, decoration and use of colour.
For the 660 years, Taoism, Buddhism and
Confucianism influenced each other, so
that certain structures in Buddhism and
Confucianism
architectures
were
transformed into Taoism architecture.
As a result, there remained
similarities in designing and
grouping among the three systems.

Taoism pursues the harmonious

unity of humans and nature.
Taoists skillfully built temples that
conformed to the contours of the land.
Starting with inherited Chinese
traditional ideas of construction, they
added their own concepts.
Splendorous symmetric architectural
complexes are composed of many
ordinary yards spreading orderly
along a central axis.

Taoist architecture applies two architectural

styles - traditional style and Ba-gua
style.
In the traditional style, traditional
architectural layout, which is
symmetric, was applied.
Main halls were on the central axis, while
other religious structures on the two sides.
Usually, on the northwest corner of the
complex, Lucky Land to Meet God was
located.
Annexes like dining hall and accommodation
were located at the back or the flank of
the complex.

In every single yard, there are neatly

located attached architectural structures.
The whole layout reflects Taoists' emphasis
on order and equability.
Most Taoist architectures resort to nature
topography to build towers, pavilions,
lobbies and other garden structural units,
decorated with murals, sculptures and
steles to entertain people, fully
interpreting Taoist philosophy of nature.

The second is the Bagua style in which

all structures surround the Danlu (stove to
make pills of immortality) in the center
according to Bagua's position request.
The center axis from the south to the
north is very long and structures flank the
axis.
The style reflects Taoist philosophy that
the human cosmos follows the natural
cosmos to integrate energy, qi and spirit.

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In Taoist principles, GOLD, WOOD, WATER, FIRE AND EARTH are considered five
elementary substances to form everything in the world.
Timber was chosen by Chinese architects because it is derived from wood, one of the five.
Taoism respects anything which is more of nature or closer to nature as first choice when they
make choices among many alternatives.
It is believed that when people live in a timber house rather than cements or stone structures,
they are supposed to keep a constant exchange with nature and reach the integration of
nature and human beings.
That's why Taoist architecture resort to nature topography to build towers, pavilions, lobbies
and other garden structural units, decorated with murals, sculptures and steles to entertain
people, fully interpreting Taoist philosophy of nature.
Another unique feature of Taoism temple structure is the up-turned eaves. This up-turned
structure with a beautiful curve presents a volatile and lively style and symbolizes a flying to
the wonderland in Taoism.

DAO I S T T E M P L E S
Taoist temple buildings also clearly
reflect Taoists' strong will in the
pursuit of happiness, longevity and
immortality.
Most Taoist temples are wooden-framed
and have garden structures. Some
garden features are man-made
pavilions, towers, walkways and
terraces.
Quiet and beautiful mountains provide
an unblemished environment in which
Taoists can cultivate their inner selves.
Together with a park cleverly built on
the basis of the architectural complex, a
kind of fairyland thus comes into
being.

Taoist temple buildings, basically consist of

the divine hall, the alter, the room for reading
sculptures and practicing asceticism, the
living room, the reception room for pilgrims,
and the park.
The main hall for a single deity, but other
deities statues could come on the sides or
behind the main statue.
The general layout adopts the form of
Chinese traditional courtyard, with the
divine hall on the mean axis and the reception
room and Taoists' living room, etc., on both
sides.
Also, an interesting feature of Daoist temple
architecture is that the main door is not
centred, but on the side, in the belief that this
would prevent unwanted spirits from entering
the main sanctuary.

CHINESE TAOIST TEMPLES

A Statue of Dragon and Lion
guards the gates of a Taoist
temple;
In the main hall, the four
Heavenly Emperors in Taoism
replace the Buddha trinity and
four Heavenly Kings in Buddhism; The highest three celestial realms of Jade Purity,
The stories illustrated in Taoist Highest Purity, and Great Purity. They are
murals depict a more earthly emanations of Tao, omnipresent and supreme.
world of common people rather
than holy or sacred world and
clay figures set in the hall are
more like common people.
The Three Star-gods of
Happiness,
Rank
and
Affluence, and Longevity.

O R N A M E NTAT I O N & D E C O R ATI O N

Taoist architectural
decoration reflects
Taoist pursuit of luck
and fulfillment, long
lifespan etc.,
Common decorative
figures of a Daoist
temple include a
tortoise
intertwined with a
snake, elephants,
lions,
gourds
(which is said to
contain the immortal
pills) etc.,

The stove for offerings

Taoist architectural motifs

were meaningful - Celestial
bodies mean brightness
shining everywhere while
landscape and rocks
immortality.
Folding fan, fish, narcissus,
bat and deer are used to
imply beneficence, wealth,
celestial being, fortune and
official position.
Pine and cypress stand for
affection.
Tortoise for longevity.
crane for man of honor.

Fish motif

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Roof with upturned eaves & rich

ornamentation

BUDDHISM
Taoist Temple in a picturesque setting

Taoist Temple set up along with

the topography of the place

D E I T I E S & I M M O RTAL S

The Door Spirits are the

spirits who guard the
doors of houses.

The Kitchen Spirit

Buddhism was introduced to China

from India around the first century
AD, since the fourth century AD, it
was widely spread and gradually
became the most influential
religion in China.
Because of varied introduction
time and channel as well as
regional, historic and social
backgrounds, Buddhism in China
is divided into three branches,
namely Chinese Buddhism, Tibetan
Buddhism and Pali Buddhism.
China has more than 13,000
Buddhist temples.

Chinese Buddhism refers collectively to the

various schools of Buddhism that have
flourished in China since ancient times.
Buddhism has played an enormous role in
shaping the mindset of the Chinese people,
affecting their aesthetics, politics,
literature, philosophy and medicine.
The coming of Buddhism to China from India
was a great event in the development of
Chinese culture and of Buddhism itself.

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After a long period of assimilation, it

established itself as a major system of
thought as well as a religious practice,
contributing greatly to the enrichment
of Chinese philosophy and exercising
and enduring influence on the Chinese
popular religion and on the mind and
character of the Chinese people.
Indeed, it became one of the Three
Pillars of the traditional culture
of China.
Buddhism was firstly introduced into
the region inhabited by the Han people
around the 1st century.

It is said that in the year 2BC, Yi Cun, an

emissary of Dayuezhi Kingdom (an ancient midAsian country established by a strong Chinese
minority originally living in northern China and
later moved to the west), went to Chang'an
(today's Xi'an City) to impact Buddist sutras to
a Chineses Doctor Jing Lu. And this is the first
record about the introduction of Buddhism into
China.
There is another saying that during the reign of
the Indian King Asoka (272-226 BC), 18 Indians
visited Chinas Xianyang City during the reign of
Emperor Qin Shihuang.
In the year 250BC, King Asoka convoked the
third conference and, after the conference, Dade
was sent to spread Buddhism to other countries
including China.

The feature of Chinese Buddhism lies in

the coexistence of Mahayana Buddhism
and Hinayana Buddhism.
Buddhism was initiated in India,
developed in China and further expanded
to Japan and Korea.
Indian Buddhists were threatened by the
values and socio-political structures of
the Indian society dominated by
Hinduism and Islam and vanished
between 9th century and 10th century in
India while Buddhism were developed
rapidly in China so that China became the
true homeland of Buddhism all over the
world.
During the Wei and Jin Dynasties (220420) the influence of Buddhism spread
widely.

During the Southern and Northern

Dynasties(420-589) the ruling classes further
helped the spread of Buddhism by
building temples and monasteries,
translating Buddhist sutras and
constructing grottoes, and many famous
monks, scholars and teachers emerged.
By the Sui and Tang Dynasties(581-907),
Buddhism reached its apex of popularity and
splendors, and different sects of Buddhism had
been formed in China .
Over a long period, Buddhism gradually took
root in the feudal society of China ,
intermingling with Confucian and Taoist
thought.
It had a strong popular appeal and its ideas
made a notable impact on Chinese philosophy,
literature and art.

The development of Chinese Buddhist

architecture can be traced back to
the introduction of Buddhism.
The main Buddhist architectural
icons include TEMPLES, PAGODAS,
AND GROTTOES.
Buddhist architecture is regarded as
a great art treasure where sculpture,
calligraphy and painting combine.
Being the spiritual symbols of
Buddhism, they are not only
monastic holy places, but also
serve as sacred land that can
purify souls.
The Buddhist temple is the holy place
where Buddhist doctrine is
maintained.

Differing from other religions' temples,

Chinese Buddhist temples have many
characteristics of their own.
For example, similar to Chinese palaces
and dwelling houses, they are comprised
of a number of small yards.
The oldest temple in China - White
Horse Temple is a typical example
of this.
Temple roofs were curved because the
Buddhist believed that it helped ward off
evil spirits which were believed to be
straight lines.
The temple's roof is also made of glazed
ceramic tiles and has an overhanging
cave distinguished by a graceful upward
slope.

BU D D H I S T S Y M B O L S
The umbrella
The Golden Fish
The Treasure Vase
The Lotus
The Conch Shell
The Endless Knot
The Victory Banner
The Dharma Wheel

10

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LOTUS: The Lotus flower is one of the

ENDLESS KNOT: The endless knot is

most important religious symbols in

Buddhism. The lotus symbolizes
purity and enlightenment. Lotus
flower symbol has been depicted in
some form or other in Buddhist art.
Especially, Buddha is often portrayed as
sitting on a lotus while praying for
enlightenment.
CONCH SHELL: The conch shell is
used in Buddhist rituals for
gathering devotees together. It
represents the thoughts of the Buddha.
The musical sound of conch shell
reaches the ears of the devotees and
awakens them from slumber and
ignorance.

a geometric diagram which symbolizes

that everything is interrelated. All
living things exist only as part of a web
of karma and its effect. As the endless
knot has no beginning and no end, it
also represents the infinite wisdom of
Buddha.

DHARMACHAKRA: Dharmachakra is
one of the best known symbols of
Buddhism which is a turning wheel
which represents the endless
cycle of birth and rebirth. It also
symbolizes the teachings of Buddha
which brings spiritual change in a
person.

I N F LU E N C E O F BU D D H I S M I N C H I N A
The influence of Buddhism on Chinese
culture is profound, not only in terms of
religion, but also literature, art,
traditional customs, etc.,
Ancient Chinese architecture, being exquisite
and magnificent, especially Buddhist
temples, had its configuration
originated and imitated from
primitive Buddhism of India.
The development of sculpture, painting and
murals accelerated due to the prosperity of
Buddhism in China.
Yungang Grottoes located in Datong City of
Shanxi province, for example, represents
outstanding Chinese Buddhist Grottoes Art
during the 5th and 6th century with 51,000
Buddhist statues in 252 grottoes.

The introduction of Buddhism also

exerted subtle influence on China's
traditional customs and social
mores.
It helped improve people's view on
life and the further spreading of
filial piety.
The principle of "Bad deeds, as well
as good, may rebound upon the
doer." is deeply rooted in the society,
causing people to do good deeds in
order to pursue a better afterlife.
The advocacy of filial piety in
Buddhism makes people go after
virtues and pay respect to other
people, forming a society of
amicability.

BU D D H I S M & A RC H I T E C T U RE
The main Buddhist architecture include
temples, pagodas, and grottos.
The architectural styles of Buddhist temples
in China were mainly formed in three periods:
HAN DYNASTY (206BC-220) retention of Indian styles.
NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN
DYNASTIES (386-589)- wooden
framework was added to the original
styles.
TANG DYNASTY (618-907) - the
styles of Buddhist temples were totally
Sinicized and the pavilion-like pagoda,
which is unique to China, became
popular.

Grotto, another type of Buddhist

architecture, is often chiseled into
cliffs. In the 3rd century, Chinese
Buddhists began to build grottoes
and Xinjiang is the first area
where grottoes were hewn.
Grottoes are decorated with
painted sculptures, carvings
and frescos.
Craftsmen revealed real life
pictures and their understanding
of society in these art works,
which gave them great historical
and cultural value.
The four famous grottoes in China
are: Mogao Caves, Longmen
Grottoes, Yungang Grottoes
and Maiji Caves.

Buddhist temples tend to be

decorated in red or black, and there
is a main hall for a statue of a
Bodhisattva, followed by a smaller
hall with statues of other Buddha's
and deities.
The Chinese Buddhist monastery or
temple is fashioned after the imperial
palaces and bears very little
resemblance to the temples in India
or other Buddhist countries.
Generally there are three groups of
buildings separated by courtyards.
The monastery, like other
Chinese structures, normally
faces south.

The Long-men Grottoes in Henan Province

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Mogao Grottoes
Grottoes of Zhongshan Mountain

PAGODA
Pagoda, symbol of Buddhism is often erected in
temples.
Pagodas were made of stone, wood, colored
glaze or metal.
Pagodas have an odd number of layers. Sevenlayer and Nine-layer pagodas are commonly
built.
The shape of cross-section is rectangular, eightsided or even circular.
Initially, the pagoda served as the central axis
alongside which rows of halls and monks' rooms
spread out.Later, pagodas were built near the
main palace hall.
Chinese pagodas, in short, are a significant part
of the country's cultural heritage -with their
beautiful shapes, bas-relief carvings, dougong
brackets and upturned eaves.

STUPA
Stupas appeared in China with the import of Buddhism
and, during a long history of well over a thousand years,
have become a valued part of the national Buddhist art.
Stupa, a word from ancient Sanskrit meaning a square
or round tomb or a 'soul shrine.
The perfect proportions of the Buddhas body
corresponds to the design of religious monuments STUPAS
Its architecture developed from the pre-Buddhist Indian
grave-mound.
Under these mounds the saintly ascetic were
buried; their bodies were seated on the ground and
covered with earth.
These dome-shaped graves, or tumuli, of the saints were
regarded as holy places.
And were destinations for pilgrimage for the devotional Beihei Park , Beijing
and places of practice for meditators.

Stupa & Pagoda Analogy with the 5 elements of nature

North Temple Pagoda

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Thank You.

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