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.
The architectural styles of Buddhist temples in China
were mainly formed in three periods: Han Dynasty (206BC-220), Northern and
Southern Dynasties (386-589), and Tang Dynasty (618-907). The first period sees
the retention of Indian styles. In the second period, wooden framework was
added to the original styles. In the third period, the styles of Buddhist
temples were totally Sinicized and the pavilion-like pagoda, which is unique to
China,
became popular.
Pagoda, symbol of Buddhism, where people climb to have
a bird's-eye-view, is often erected in temples. Pagodas can be made of stone,
wood, colored glaze or metal. Pagodas have an odd number of layers. Seven-layer
and Nine-layer pagodas are commonly built. The shape of cross-section is
rectangular, eight-sided 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.
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.
They are well preserved and attract many visitors from home and abroad.
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