A phenomenological study of Chinese Buddhist temples - Essay Example

? A phenomenological study of Chinese Buddhist temples With a focus on the Bao Shan Chan Si Danyan March (The Yonghe gate of the Lama Temple, source: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/china/beijing-yonghe-gong-lama-temple.htm) A phenomenological study of Chinese Buddhist Temples This paper is about Chinese Buddhist temples from an architectural perspective. The introduction in part A describes what these temples are and this is followed by a selection of some temples of architectural significance as examples. This brief survey is then used to identify some typical architectural features in part B, a description of three distinct architectural styles, and a discussion of the impact of the introduction of Buddhism in China. The main part C then describes the phenomenological study of a particular temple, namely the Bao Shan Chan Si after first justifying the method and introducing the temple. Part A: Chinese Buddhist temples Introduction to Chinese Buddhist temples Buddhist temples are spiritual spaces designed for worship, devotion or offerings according to the Buddhist religion. Chinese Buddhist temples have been known throughout history as Ci, Lanruo, Jlalan, Jingshe and Si. Temples are one of the most conspicuous and significant of buildings that exhibit Buddhist (xiu xing) architecture. Others are pagodas (religious towers), grottos (religious caves) and stupas (dome-shaped monuments). They display marvellous items with Buddhist symbolism, sculpture, painting and calligraphy. But they have more than these outward features alone. They are also places of serenity, tranquillity and holiness. They exude an atmosphere in which people can feel inner peace and spend time to purify their souls. A selection of some temples of architectural significance There are many Buddhist temples all over China, but three of these were selected to illustrate the significance of Chinese Buddhist temples from an architectural perspective. These are the JieTai temple, the Longhua temple, and Yo Fu Si. The construction of the JieTai Temple, which is outside Beijing, began during the Tan dynasty but was completed during the later Qing dynasty. The JieTai temple has a special ordination platform made of white marble containing beautifully carved figures and special rock formations and trees around its main courtyard. JieTai Temple (Source: http://www.buddhist-tourism.com/countries/china/temples/tanzhe-temple.html) The Longhua Temple is the largest in Shanghai. In its domed Grand Hall is a glided statue of the Buddha together with his disciples. There is also a special sculpture that shows how reincarnation happens. In another hall called the Three Sage Hall, there are three incarnations of the Buddha, and another room contains 500 golden small arhat statues. The temple complex also has a special pagoda constructed from wood and brick. It has an octagonal structure and seven stories, which is highly symbolic. The Grand Hall of the Longhua Temple (Source: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/china/shanghai-longhua-temple) Also in Shangai is a famous temple known as the Jade Buddha (Yu Fo Si) Temple. It is so called because it contains two Buddha statues made from white jade, which were brought over from Burma. From the perspective of architecture, the temple has a Song dynasty style so it is a fairly new temple and therefore distinct from traditional Chinese architecture. One of these distinct features is the use of circular doors as shown in the photo below. One of the circular doors of the Jade Buddha Temple (Source: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/china/shanghai-jade-buddha-temple) Part B: Typical architectural features of Chinese Buddhist temples The above survey of Buddhist temples in China has revealed typical architectural features listed below. Chinese Buddhist temples tend to have: Several large halls connected together Small courtyards separating its halls Statues of the Buddha and other ornamental sculptures Tiled roofs turned upward at the corners Common materials were wood, brick and stone Usually symmetrical layout Bright red and yellow exterior Usually south orientation Other features include pavilions, corridors, stupas, bridges, caves, trees, springs, deep pools. The large halls are necessary so that many people can worship together as in many other religions. The use of wood is more commonly found in southern Chinese temples than northern ones because of the little rain in the north (Hastings, 2001: 694). Hastings (2001) also makes another interesting observation. He notes that Chinese architecture always arranges buildings in rectangular blocks. He suggests, “this is due to the primitive times, and is a good illustration of the stagnant mind of the people” (p. 694). This is an incorrect assessment. The real reason is more to do with the principles of feng shui in order to create a favourable conditions and a perfect environment. Buildings and indeed all things around us affect our life, so if we position them carefully according to feng shui, the right environment can be created so that the effects are positive. The use of colour in Chinese architecture is very imaginative. Again Hastings (2001) associates the profuse use of red with primitiveness. However, the real reason for using red so much is its connection with the sun, fire, energy and luck. The red colour therefore represents good fortune (Petrillo, 2007: 12). There is also a practical reason for using red. The dye is obtained from a special weather-resistant mineral. When it is applied to a building, it does not easily wear off (Institute for Advanced Chinese Studies, 1962). Similarly, the south orientation is justified because of its connection with the elements of fire and wood. The building benefits from qi energy and it also maximises the sunlight. Arrangement is therefore a very important consideration in Chinese architecture. The basic aim is to orient buildings favourably. In China, temples have one of three distinct architectural styles. These correspond to the following three periods in Chinese history: 1. Period of the Han Dynasty (206BC-220) 2. Period of the North and South Dynasties (386-589) 3. Tang Dynasty (618-907) During the Han dynasty, there was a merger of traditional Chinese architecture with Gandhara Buddhist styles of architecture. This is because Buddhism spread from India (via the Silk Road from the 2nd century BCE). This new architecture was a unique introduction in China. The second period saw the rapid growth of Buddhist temples all over China and was characterised by the construction of wooden structures. “According to historic records, the Liang, one of dynasties that ruled areas south of the Yangtze River, had 2,800 Buddhist temples … The Wei, one of the North Dynasties, had 30,000 temples” (Lou, 2002: 99). The third period is distinguished by showing evidence of a more complete Chinese character and was a very favourable period for Buddhism in China. These Chinese temples and also monasteries are distinct from Buddhist temples in other countries because they make a much more interesting use of colour, special decoration and ornaments. “The use of images, paintings, thangkas and mandalas in these monastries produces rich iconography not only architecturally but artistically as well” (Buddhist-Tourism.com, 2007). The small courtyards, in addition to the several halls of the temples, are in keeping with traditional Chinese palaces and other dwellings. The introduction of Buddhism in China has no doubt had a significant impact on Chinese architecture as have some other major religions and philosophical systems as well. As Phuoc (2010: 182) remarked, “Buddhism was historically the greatest impetus behind Chinese religious arts and architecture with the majority of extant examples belonged to Buddhism”. Chinese Buddhist architecture is therefore a field that is well worth inquiring into, especially through first hand experience. Part C: A phenomenological study of Bao Shan Chan Si (????) Phenomenology A phenomenological study is “grounded on lived experience in relations of orderly, regular structures of consciousness” (Owen, 1994). The method begins with describing what appears and then seeks to identify “the overall relations of meaning that appears through sensation to verbalised thought” (Owen, 1994). This method is suitable for this study because in order to appreciate the architecture of a spiritual space it is necessary to first be aware and attuned to the experiences and understand its meaning (Kidd, N.d.). This leads to a return to the beginning with a better understanding About Bao Shan Chan Si Bao Shan Chai Si is a Chinese Buddhist temple located in Xi Shan, which is a name of a mountain in the city of Suzhou. It literally means ‘The Mountain’. The setting can be understood by the first name Bao, which means ‘surrounded’. The mountain is surrounded by water. The temple was first built during the early period of the Nan Dynasty in 536 CE. It was originally called ‘Xian Qing Chan Si’, but later the emperor Li Heng changed its name to ‘Bao Shan Chan Si’ because it is the biggest temple in the mountain. This temple was most famous between the time of the Tang and Qing dynasties and many famous monks came from there. There were 1,048 special rooms for monks alone. However, the temple was destroyed during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. It was later rebuilt from 1995 to 1999 and is now in use again. My visit to Bao Shan Chan Si I visited Bao Shan Chan Si three years ago for a period of two months, from May to June. I was fascinated by the Buddhist way of life, especially the art of self-discipline, as well as the architecture. This inspired me to continue studying architecture at a university abroad, whereas previously I had studied landscape architecture in China. This religious experience through spending time at the temple brought the real me back, and I never wanted to be the marionette that I used to be anymore. Contrary to how I expected, the door was small and simple, hidden in the deep forest. The atmosphere made me feel like I was in a land of peach blossom. Only people who really love Buddhism, and desire to put it into practice come here. Their devotion and deep commitment to the Buddha made the environment deeply absorbing. Throughout my time in the temple, the place made me feel at peace with myself. I was always in a state of calm. It was definitely a special space in which I could spend time to get away from the chaotic world outside. The entrance to the Bao Shan Chan Si Most of the time, it was very quiet inside the temple. All I could hear were birds singing and the place reverberating with the sound of monks reading the jing song (a lection) in a slow and faintly discernible but melodious and deeply calming voice. The architecture supported the echo effect so the people and the temple were in harmony with each other. Actually, I found this sound to be not only soothing but also subtly powerful. As noted by Pallasmaa (1996: 34), the sense of sound has certain advantages over the sense of sight. For example, it is omni-directional and creates a feeling of interiority whereas sight is uni-directional and creates the feeling of exteriority. Thus, I was able to hear the chanting no matter where I was in the temple, and this also affected my heart very deeply. I would describe the sounds of the natural surroundings and birds combined with the chanting as bringing the temple to life and deeply soothing. It was like an added flavour to the atmosphere but one that made it even more absorbing. A common observation during my stay was that the Sun shone for most of day and this made things outside look bright and shiny such as trees and flowers. However, the light was not so bright in some of the areas inside the temple, mainly because of the large number of trees all around. Some of the trees in the yard were big with classic beauty and the light passing through them formed white patterns on the ground. The wind forms patterns, and sometimes I look at those patterns and see different objects in them, such as a dog, car, star, boot, etc. in the same way as some people see objects in the clouds. On the other hand, the trees helped to give the feeling that people inside the temple were close to nature and it provided good shade from the Sun’s heat during the summer afternoons. The presence of many trees in the Bao Shan Chan Si complex Inside the main prayer hall, lighting was very dim. In fact, there was not even a single window in this hall. Only the front and back doors allowed some natural light to come in from the outside. This was a deliberate arrangement. It had a positive effect of making a person feel separated from the outside world and hence free from distraction. This is useful because the hall is used for prayer so it helps to concentrate without being distracted. Besides, it is only a small walk away to get to the little yards that connect the halls and breathe in the open air. Also, the ceiling was very high, probably about 10 metres, so the air circulation was good. While meditating in this hall, I verified this was the case. I was able to concentrate much better and feel the Buddha spirit around me much stronger. I felt very peaceful and protected inside, free of worries about the outside world. This hall was no doubt designed very carefully so that these feelings could be experienced more easily. I also explored a number of other places and rooms in the temple complex whenever I had the opportunity and out of curiosity to learn more. In one of the more interesting rooms I entered, I observed the door was made of a dark coloured timber. It felt smooth and soft to the touch and opened with a bit noise. The atmosphere made me feel this was a special room. There were not many things inside except mainly for a table and chair in the centre. The objects on the table were not very organised but they were significant. All the items suggested this room belonged to a calligrapher. There were various implements that would be used for drawing and calligraphy such as a brush pen, ink and ink slab and some evidence of calligraphy on pieces of paper. The chair was larger than normal. This is called Chan Yi in Chinese. This kind of chair is large because it allows the person to sit with legs up and meditate. The cushion was made of weed. When I sat on the chair, it felt like one of those comfy sofa and beanbags I am used to. It was a bit hard, but it had good support. The handles were a bit too distant from my body if I wanted to put my arms on them, but the design allowed enough space for me to sit with crossed legs. For a moment, I felt like I knew this place for a long time, I felt that I belonged here, and that I should always be here. A sketch of a Chan Yi chair suitable for meditation Again there was little lighting, as in the main hall except this time there was a window, which helped to create a special effect. The Sun shone through the window in the room and reflected on some of the writing on the table. These were the only rays of light coming into the room, which was otherwise a bit dark. This scene reminded me of Louis Kahn’s (1969 in Beaver, 2006: 10) suggestion that even in a space that is intended to be dark, there should be some light “from some mysterious opening to tell us how dark it really is”. The feeling in this room when observing those rays was just that; it felt like seeing light from a mysterious opening in an otherwise dark room. On the outside was a forest with big trees close to each other so this explains the stark contrast and how the enchanting atmosphere was created. ???? Most people who look at a Chinese temple from the outside do not fail to notice the upturned corners of its roof. This is a typical architectural feature that makes a building look Chinese and Bao Shan Chan Si is no exception. There is a tradition that curves help to ward off evil spirits. If any of them try to descend, they would shoot back up again. There are also possible practical advantages. For example, it is suggested that this design helps to keep water off the eaves of the roof and thereby away from the foundations of the building (Seattle Chinese Garden, 2010). Another explanation is that it functions as a controller of light for maximising the amount of sunlight entering at an angle during the winter months and maximising the amount of shade during the summer months when sunlight pours from directly overhead (Pasadena City College, 2010 in Seattle Chinese Garden, 2010). The underside of a roof showing the eaves and rafters While the practical reasons are also sound, I believe the main reason is a spiritual one. The upward pointing of the corners is aimed directly at the sky and this has the same kind of significance as in other religious buildings such as mosques with their tall minarets and churches with spires. It also makes the temples in harmony with the pagodas, as both are places that provide a bridge between earth and heaven in order to guide the development of the soul. The distinction between the two realms is important because each is a different type of dwelling (Norberg-Schulz, 1980). The actual reason for this special feature of roofs then, is that by pointing upwards, it helps to establish the link between the temple on earth in which humans dwell, and the Pure Land (heaven), which is the realm of divine beings. At the same time, the underside of temple roofs is also worth examining, which probably relates with the inner self. This is typically very intricate as shown in the photo above at Bao Shan Chan Si, and the rafters used are clearly visible. To me, this reminds the viewer that, firstly the inner self cannot be hidden, and secondly that it must be structured or controlled. In other words, the desires can only be tamed by disciplining the self. The idea is that by controlling our desires, we reduce our suffering, which are a consequence of having too many and great desires. This lifestyle is called ‘si da jie kong’. This means every material thing is an illusion and therefore meaningless. The consequence of living immersed in the environment of the temple and lessened desire is that people become more kind and loving towards each other. Blame and anger gives way to smiles, forgiveness and deep love. I believe the architecture of Buddhist temples as an important part of this process of transformation because it provides the right kind of environment to make it happen more easily. All the evidence therefore suggests that Buddhist architects did not simply design temples that only outwardly looked special. Rather, they were also mystics so they created special spiritual spaces that have a deeper significance and are designed to promote spiritual growth. It occurred to me during my visit, that on one hand, the si da jie kong lifestyle promoted the idea that nature is meaningless, but on the other, temples are always located in beautiful natural surroundings. In fact, it seems there was a deliberate attempt to integrate temples so as to provide key views of nature and including elements such as deep pools and garden springs in the design. The purpose of situating of temples in natural surroundings is strongly linked with the concept of balance. In order to understand the reason, it is necessary to comprehend the meaning of si da jie kong. The term si da jie kong literally means, “four big things are empty”, these four things being the elements of earth, water, fire and wind. Earth refers to the ground and mountains, water to rivers, seas and oceans, fire to the Sun, and wind to the air. These elements are also associated with parts of the body. Flesh, hair and bones belong to the earth, blood to the element of water, body temperature to fire, and breath is the wind. In Buddhism, we are taught that all these elements are not important because they disappear sooner or later. In other words, the material world is transitory and the physical body expires one day, hence, the description that all these things are nothing but Kong (empty). Another important sentence in Chinese also relates to si da jie kong, which is ‘liu gen qing jing’. The translation is ‘six organs [are] clean and quiet’. These six organs or roots are the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind. By specially controlling these six organs, desire would be reduced and the person would be relieved of worries, hence the need for them to be both clean and quiet. Chinese Buddhist temples also have the property of providing an atmosphere that is calm amid the chaotic world outside. During my visit, the weather was generally good but I was told that it usually rains a lot and the seasons are not so distinct. In a way, the temple’s setting is in a place of balance because the air always makes you feel soft and smooth when you breathe in. It is never dry and sharp. I was convinced that when the temple was made, the designers must have selected the site very carefully because it exhibited a sense of harmony and balance with nature. The architecture therefore plays a key role in helping to feel at peace with the surroundings. Besides monks, there were also a lot of other believers who were living in the temple. They were all following a daily routine. For many years, I used to suffer from insomnia, but after following this timetable here for a few days, I was able to go to sleep earlier than usual every night and wake up early and fresh in the morning. The daily timetable of believers at Bao Shan Chan Si Time Event 4.00 am Awakening 4.30 am Morning class 5.30 am Breakfast 5.30 – 7.00 am Hot water supply 10.45 am Lunch 4.30 – 5.00 pm Hot water supply 5 pm Dinner 5.45 pm Evening class 6.45 – 7.45 pm Reading the Buddhist scriptures Some of the many rooms in the temple where people could stay An important feature of this routine was waking and sleeping according to the timings of the Sun. This routine is described as ‘work when the Sun comes, rest when the Sun is gone”. It is about living in harmony with nature rather than the man made clock. It is beneficial because the body’s circulation becomes in tune with nature. It also maximises the use of natural sunlight and minimises the need to use artificial lighting so this could explain why the temple was built the way it was. The architecture helps to live naturally. The food was all vegetable based, rice and To Fu, which is a traditional Chinese food made from soya. Like the building that helps to respect nature and lead a simple life, so does the food help to keep our minds simple. All the elements of the place from the building to every object inside, including the food, therefore work together to help purify our bodies and souls. The simplicity of the lifestyle helps to keep desires as minimal as possible in order to sustain earthly existence while allowing time to strive for a better eternal life. Moreover, the purpose of a vegetarian diet is to follow the ‘Five Moral Precepts’ of Buddhism. Two of these are directly relevant to diet, namely not to kill another life and not to take any intoxicants. The latter weakens a person’s Samadhi, which is a proper degree of concentration required for effective meditation. Eating animal based food products requires killing animal life forms so that is why only vegetable based products are eaten. It is from the spirit of Buddha to be ‘ci bei wei huai’. This means treating all living things with peace and happiness (ci), to remove suffering from them (bei), and this should be from the heart (wei huai). At first, I felt the food was less tasty than what I was used to, and after a few days, I even started to miss the meat. All kinds of meat dishes came cross my mind, which was actually quite annoying. However, about three weeks later, I got used to these simple dishes, and I felt my body was always clean, fresh and light. I started to appreciate the vegetarian way of life for the first time. Some Tofu dishes available at Bao Shan Chan Si I really enjoyed reading the Buddhist sutras (scriptures). My favourite one is the Prajnaparamita Hrdaya Sutra. During my stay, I read it 3 times every morning and night, and whenever I felt sad or a little anger arising inside me. Just by focus reading this sutra, it helped me to calm myself, and to give me peace of mind. It has the effect of allowing me to experience a similar kind of calmness while away from the temple as when just sitting inside the temple. However, the building has the characteristic of infusing peace by itself and when praying inside and reading the sutras, that same peace is made even more intense. I was also able to meet the Buddhist abbot of the temple almost everyday. I was always very pleased to meet him. Whenever I looked at his face and his eyes, I felt that nothing matters anymore; that nothing in life is so important as the Buddhist way of living. There is a Chinese saying, ‘xiang you xin sheng’, which means your face is from your heart and mind. Thus, from just looking at his face, I also felt his compassionate heart. I felt he was full of so much caring and love, that he was clean and led an exemplary simple life. Meeting him was therefore a very positive experience and I felt a stronger inner peace. It was as if he embodied the whole temple, and made the building come alive. The architecture of the temple had been fascinating in itself but the blissful spirit that was dwelling inside it and making it full of life was now right before me. His name was Guan Che and he was the most influential person in my life who led me to practice xiu xing (Buddhism). Guan Che, the Buddhist abbot of Bao Shan Chan Si The time at the temple helped to experience a sense of relief from my inner suffering. It helped me to find a way of life full of positive feelings with a mind of Zen. Before I visited the temple, I used to always wear a ‘mask’ whenever I met people. By this I mean that I always smiled and laughed and never talked about my pain. Even my parents thought that I was fine and happy with the way they treated me. I give the impression that I am a happy and fortunate person so they think that I have a bright future and no worries in life. However, in the presence of the abbot, I felt that this mask was dissolved because how I was feeling inside was already apparent to him. The muscles of my face were therefore relaxed as well as my mind. In fact, it was a relief and every time I felt that the real me came back. Therefore, I decided to leave China and go somewhere else so that I can just be normal self most of the time. My experience especially taught me the art of forgiveness. I still get hurt, but it is because I love and care. I never regret this step I made, the way I chose to laugh or the tears. I now live my life to the fullest. Conclusions and discussion The Bao Shan Chan Si is a fairly typical Chinese Buddhist temple. For example, it had several halls, rooms, courtyards, pools, etc. and above all, it was situated in beautiful natural surroundings. However, it was the spirit of Buddhism that brought the architecture of the temple to life, and at the same time, the architecture fully supported the Buddhist way of life. It is therefore a two way process because both affect and reflect each other. Whereas the architecture sustains the construction of the internal building inside a person, the internal state is also reflected outwardly in the architecture. The temple provides the spiritual space in which people can reflect within themselves more easily. This reflection is necessary in order to discover truths, as did the Buddha (Brodd, 2003: 75). In this case, Chinese temple architecture fulfils more than just the physical requirements of providing a place for worship. This kind of architecture touches upon some basic human feelings and spiritual needs, and it reflects certain truths that dwellers come to realise. This relation with the truth, especially for religious buildings, is essential because it makes the architecture more likely to be accepted. Otherwise, men would reject that which does not relate to the truth (Wurman, 1986). Moreover, Buddhist temples provide the right kind of space within which people can experience profound meditative experiences. They assist in opening the mind to realisations in which thoughts and feelings merge (Kahn, 1969). The architecture therefore only provides an atmosphere conducive to spiritual growth. It is ultimately up to the person inside to take advantage of the space created to achieve the goal of spiritual enlightenment. References Beaver, Robyn. 2006. John Howey & Associates: selected and current works. Images Publishing. Brodd, Jeffrey. 2003. World religions: a voyage of discovery. 2nd edition. Saint Mary’s Press. Buddhist-Tourism. 2007. The Buddhist Architecture. 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Rizzoli International Publications. Owen, Ian R. 1994. Phenomenology – What is it? And what does it do? The Newsletter of the History and Philosophy Section of the British Psychological Society. Vol. 19, pp. 18-24. Pallasmaa, Juhani. 1996. The eyes of the skin. Academy Editions. Pasadena City College. 2010. Chinese architecture. Available at: http://www.pasadena.edu/divisions/language/chinese/cultural/architecture.html [Accessed 27 February 2011]. Petrillo, Valerie. 2007. A kid’s guide to Asian American History: More than 70 activities. Chicago Review Press. Phuoc, Le Huu. 2010. Buddhist architecture. Grafikol. Sacred Destinations. 2010. White Horse Temple (Baima Si), Luoyang. Available at http://www.sacred-destinations.com/china/white-horse-temple.htm [Accessed 17 February 2011]. Seattle Chinese Garden. 2010. The upturned roof. Available at http://blog.seattlechinesegarden.org/2011/01/upturned-roof.html [Accessed 27 February 2010]. Wurman, Richard Saul (Ed.). 1986. What will be has always been: the worlds of Louis I Kahn. Access Press Ltd. & Rizzoli International Publications. Websites consulted Buddhist Tourism. http://www.buddhist-tourism.com. Sacred Destinations. http://www.sacred-destinations.com. Travel China Guide. http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/architecture/styles/buddhist.htm All images taken from the mentioned sources are copyright of their respective owners. All photos without a source mentioned underneath were taken by the author. Read More