Search Results (2)

In the Changxi River Basin in eastern Fujian, a few stone elements remain and Buddhist buildings with one bay in width and three bays in depth have been preserved dating from the timespan of the Tang to the Song dynasty. These features are characterized by a regional form of early Buddhist architecture seldom seen in Chinese history. The article focuses on the reconstruction of a Song dynasty Buddhist building at the Gonghoulou Temple site in Huotong Town, Jiaocheng District, Ningde City, and aims to analyze the potential characteristics and rules of single-bay Buddhist architecture. From the styles of the remaining stone columns, the direction of the lotus carving at the column base, and the mortises of the plinth stone, a spatial arrangement is indicated that includes an open front corridor and a closed rear section. A “reconstruction” of the ruler used in the original building reveals the possibility that a local Fujian ruler was used, shorter than the standard measurement device employed elsewhere. The analysis of the frame construction indicates that this hip-gable roof-covered Buddhist hall utilizes the horizontally layered logic of multi-storied palatial-style halls. Key elements include its gentle roof slope, restraint from the practice of shortening the roof ridge, use of the traditional chuji method, and the interior columns use of internal longitudinal architraves secured to beam supporting brackets. This research brings to light a unique architectural type that has disappeared in the course of history and was previously unknown to the academic community. It holds significant importance and value for deepening the understanding of the history of timber frame architecture technology in Fujian. Full article

The Changxi River Basin is a small root-like watershed, surrounded by mountains on three sides and facing the sea to the southeast. It is located on the border between Fujian and Zhejiang on the southeast coast of China. The area gave rise to the Changxi Culture that began in the Sui and Tang Dynasties and flourished in the Song Dynasty. Buddhism in the Changxi Basin was introduced no later than the 9th century. As the core hinterland of the Changxi Basin, Fu’an has always been an important center for Buddhism in Eastern Fujian. It reached its peak in the 10th to 13th centuries during the Song Dynasty. This article conducts a comprehensive investigation and study of the existing Buddhist temple sites and relics in Fu’an. It highlights these structures’ single-bay pattern of construction, based on rectangular plans in which the longitudinal axis extends along the plan’s direction of depth. This is a pattern rarely seen in the history of Chinese Buddhist architecture. The paper also summarizes a common element in these temples, their petal-shaped corrugated stone pillars which are divided into eight segments. Lastly, it illustrates the evolution of the temples in the Changxi River Basin from single-bay layouts to those with widths of multiple bays and indicates the unique status and associated values of single-bay Buddhist temples in the history of southern Buddhist architecture. The study examines new local findings and ideas for the study of Chinese Buddhist architectural history, providing academic support for the protection and research of Buddhist architectural heritage in Southeast China. Full article