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TOPChinese Buddhist Temples

Much of Buddhism’s appeal lies in its adaptability. This holds true not just in the way Buddhism is practiced in different parts of the world but also in the types of Buddhism temples you find in different parts of the globe. Take for example the Chinese Buddhist temples – they are distinctly different from the Buddhist temples you find in either India or Thailand.

Chinese Buddhist temple halls have distinct features. They are composed of several layers of courtyard houses with a central axis and two symmetrical side halls. Large-sized Buddhist temples have corridors. The main Buddhist halls usually adopt the Wudian or Xieshan styles, although other halls are also conform to the traditional Chinese architecture. The common Buddhist halls are:

TOPMountain Gate or Three Gate

Since the Buddhist temples are mostly situated in mountains and forests, it is called Mountain Gate Hall. Now, it has become a proper name. It is also called mountain gate in the plains. Because there is Empty Gate (middle), Wuxiang Gate (east) and Wuzuo Gate (west), which are the symbols of three extrications, it is also called Three Gate. Generally, there is the General Heng & Ha standing on both sides of the Empty Gate.

TOPBell Tower

It is located on the upper left (east) side of the Heavenly King Hall with a large bell hung inside. Some Buddhist temples have Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva enshrined and worshiped below the bell with Daoming as his left retinue and Wengong as his right retinue.

TOPDrum Tower

It is located on the upper right (west) side of the Heavenly King Hall with a large drum inside. Some Buddhist temples have the Garanshin Guan Yu enshrined and worshiped inside with Guan Ping as his left retinue and Zhou Cang as his right retinue.

TOPHeavenly King Hall

In the center is the Maitreya Buddha with a large belly. On the two sides are four Heavenly Kings. At the back is the Veda.

TOPTreasure Hall of Great Hero

Also called "grand hall", it is the main hall of the Buddhist temple. There is one Buddha, three Buddhas, five Buddhas, seven Buddhas or even more Buddhas enshrined and worshipped in different temples. Most temples have three Buddhas in the main hall. The common Buddha enshrined is the "three honored of the family Sakyamui" or Sakyamui and his two disciples, Kasyapa and Ananda. There are also some grand halls which have "the Three Saints of the West World" or "the Three Saints of Hua-yen" enshrined inside. As for the three Buddhas in the main hall, the common ones include "Three Buddhas of the Three Worlds", "Three Buddhas of the Three Times" and "Three Kayas". There are also some halls which have "Maitreya Buddha – Sakyamui Buddha – Amitabha Buddha" enshrined. Grand halls with five Buddhas and seven Buddhas enshrines are very few and they are mostly found in the Buddhist temples with a long history.

At the back of the statue of Sakyamui Buddha is generally the wall painting of the Sea Island Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. On the west and east side of the grand hall are often the sixteen Arhats.

TOPEast and West Auxiliary Halls

On both sides of the Great Hero Treasure Hall, there are often the east and west auxiliary halls. The Buddhas enshrined and worshipped inside vary with sects. Some temples establish "Three Saints Hall" (enshrines and worships the Three Saints of the West World); some set up "Founder Hall" (mostly are those of Zen Buddhism); some build "Garanshin Hall", and so on.

TOPDharma Hall (also called Lecture Hall)

It is generally behind the grand hall. It is the place where the Buddhist doctrines are lectured and gatherings regarding the ceremony of proclaiming someone as a Buddhist and Buddhist disciplines are held. Apart from the general installation of Buddhist statues, there is also a Dharma seat, a platform, a bell and a drum.

TOPArhat Hall

Since the Tang Dynasty, the Hall of Five Hundred Arhats has been built in some large-sized Buddhist temples. There are more than thirty Buddhist temples with the statues of the Five Hundred Arhats set up in groups existent in the country, of which the famous ones include:

·          the Arhat Hall of the Biyun Temple in Beijing,

·          the Arhat Hall of the West Garden in Suzhou

·          the left and right auxiliary halls of the Hanshan Temple in Suzhou (preserves the statues of the Five Hundred Arhats carved in camphor wood in the Song Dynasty, which are the excellent works of sculpture), the Manjusri Pavilion of the Shuxiang Temple in the Wutai Mountain (preserves hung sculptures of the Five Hundred Arhats)

·          the Arhat Hall of the Baoguang Temple in Chengdu

·          the Arhat Hall of the Guiyuan Temple in Wuhan

·          the Tiantailai Pavilion of the Qiongzhu Temple in Kunming (an excellent work of folk sculpture art in the Qing Dynasty)

·          the Falun Hall of the Yonghe Monastery in Beijing (casted by the five metals of gold, silver, copper, iron and tin)

·          the Five Hundred Arhats Hall of the Wulong Temple in Sichuan

TOPAbbot's Room

It is the place where the abbot of the Buddhist temple lives, expounds Buddhist teachings and entertains a guest. Some are called "Hualin Abbot's Room" (in the Buddhist temples of the Pure Land Sect) while others are called "Banruo Abbot's Room" (in the Buddhist temples of the Zen Buddhism).

TOPScripture Collection Building

It is the place for holing the Buddhist sutra.