Page:History of Indian and Eastern Architecture Vol 2.djvu/561

CHAP. III. BUDDHIST TEMPLES. 461 With the exception of the examples just described, and a few others, all the temples in China, whether Confucian, Taoist or Buddhist, are based on the T'ing type, differing only in their dimensions. Generally speaking, the temple of a Buddhist monastery is enclosed by a wall, with a monumental gateway or P'ai - lu at the entrance and a series of three detached buildings beyond, placed one behind the other, on a central axis, with courts between, and communicating one with the other by means of covered corridors. The first building is the ex-voto hall with statues ; the second is the principal temple, in which are the three images of the Buddhist triad, and the altar with the sacred vessels in front ; the build- ing in the rear contains sometimes a miniature dagaba in marble, in which are enclosed supposed relics of Buddha. To the right and left of the enclosure, and placed symmetrically, are other isolated structures, such as the bell-tower, the library, the pagoda, and the monks' dwellings. BUDDHIST TEMPLES. The only Buddhist temple in China of which any plans have been made, or which I have myself had an opportunity of inspecting, is that of Ho-nan, opposite Canton. Unfortun- ately it is comparatively modern, and by no means monumental. It is a parallelogram enclosed by a high wall, measuring 306 ft. by 174 ft. In the shorter front facing the river is a gateway of some pretension. This leads to a series of halls opening into each other, and occupying the whole of the longer axis of the internal court. The first and second of these are porches or ante-chapels. The central one is the largest, and practically the choir of the building. It contains the altar, adorned by gilt images of the three precious Buddhas, with stalls for the monks and all arrangements necessary for the daily service. Behind this, in the next compartment, is a dagaba, and in its rear another apartment devoted to the goddess Kuan-yin, principally worshipped by women in fact, the Lady Chapel of the church. Around the court are arranged the cells of the monks, their kitchen, refectory, and all the necessary offices of the monastery. These are generally placed against the outer wall, and open into the court. At Pekin there are several lamasaries or Buddhist monas- teries, of a much more monumental character than that of Ho-nan, but it is very difficult indeed to guess at their arrangement from mere verbal descriptions without dimensions. The gateway of one, represented in Woodcut No. 493, gives a fair idea of the usual mode of constructing gateways in China.