#throwback on Indian and Chinese Architecture

INDIAN ARCHITECTURE
Axis mundi
Axis Mundi
• Cosmic axis
• World axis
• World pillar
• Center of the world
• “World tree”
Axis Mundi
• in certain beliefs and philosophies, is the world center, or the
connection between Heaven and Earth.
Axis mundi on Stupas
• Has cosmic implications.
Great Stupa at Sanchi (Madhya
Pradesh), India
Vedika – railing.

Torana – gateways.

Anda – hemispherical
dome.

Chattras – parasol.

Harmika – railing on top of stupa.

Chattras and Harmika
Medhi – circular platform. About 40m (130 ft) in diameter.

Sopanas – two stairways.

Pradakshina –
Upper and a lower
Passageway for the rite of
Circumambulation.
Architectural Language
• Representational character.
• Formal and symbolic language in brick or stone.
• Imagery derived from buildings made of wood and thatch.
Non-secular buildings
• Harmyas – busy townscape of multi-storeyed palaces.
CHINESE ARCHITECTURE
• Chinese ancestor worship
• Chinese patriarchal religion
Confucian philosophy calls for paying respect to one's
ancestors, an aspect of filial piety; Zhuo Xinping
(2011) views traditional patriarchal religion as the
religious organisation complementing the ideology of
Confucianism.
JAPANESE ARCHITECTURE
Nanto Shichi Daiji
Also known at the SEVEN GREAT TEMPLES OF NANTO (synonym of NARA).

is a historical common name generally referring to the powerful and

influential seven Buddhist temples located in Nara.
Nanto Shichi Daiji
Although there have been some changes as to which temples are included
over the years, since there have been fluctuations in power. The following is
a list as it stood at the early stage, all of which were originally built by
imperial order;
1.) Daian-ji (639 AD)
Daian-ji (大安寺?) was founded during the Asuka period
1.) Daian-ji (639 AD)
2. Gangō-ji (718 AD)
• Gangō-ji Gokurakubō hondō,
• a National Treasure
2. Gangō-ji (718 AD)
3.) Hōryū-ji (607 AD)
3.) Hōryū-ji (607 AD)
• Yumedono
(Hall of Dreams)
3.) Hōryū-ji (607 AD)
• Pagoda
4.) Kōfuku-ji (669 AD)
• UNESCO
World Heritage
4.) Kōfuku-ji (669 AD)

Nan'endō No.9
5.) Saidai-ji (765 AD)
• Hondo
(Main Hall)
5.) Saidai-ji (765 AD)
• Naked Festival
6.) Tōdai-ji (754 AD)
• Houses the largest
Bronze statue of
Buddha
(Vairocana)
6.) Tōdai-ji (754 AD)
• Vairocana
6.) Tōdai-ji (754 AD)
• Main gate
Zen Style
• The Zen Style (Karayo) favoured by the Zen sects was the other
important new style introduced at the very beginning of the 13th
Century.
• Todaiji Belfry
7.) Yakushi-ji (680 AD)
• is one of the most
famous imperial and
ancient Buddhist
temples in Japan

• Kondo
(The Great Hall)
7.) Yakushi-ji
• East pagoda．Its beauty is often
called "Frozen music".
7.) Yakushi-ji
Shinbutsu-shūgō
• syncretism of kami and buddhas

• is the syncretism of Buddhism and Shinto kami worship which was

Japan's religion until the Meiji period.

• When Buddhism was introduced through China in the late Asuka

period (6th century), rather than discarding the old belief system, the
Japanese tried to reconcile it, assuming both were true.
Shinbutsu-shūgō
• As a consequence, Buddhist temples (寺, tera) were attached to local
Shinto shrines (神社, jinja) and vice versa and devoted to both kami
and Buddhas.

• The local religion and foreign Buddhism never quite fused, but
remained however inextricably linked all the way to the present day,
always interacting.
Shinbutsu-shūgō
• As a consequence, Buddhist temples (寺, tera) were attached to local
Shinto shrines (神社, jinja) and vice versa and devoted to both kami
and Buddhas.

• The local religion and foreign Buddhism never quite fused, but
remained however inextricably linked all the way to the present day,
always interacting.
Shinbutsu-shūgō
• The depth of the resulting influence of Buddhism on local religious
beliefs can be seen for example in the fact that much of Shinto's
conceptual vocabulary and even the types of Shinto shrines today,
with a large worship hall and religious images, are themselves of
Buddhist origin.
Shinbutsu-shūgō