Taoist Temples
Taoism, China's indigenous religion that originated from the art of seeking immortality.
There were pills of immortality in the Warring States Period (475BC-221BC), the ways of "the Yellow Emperor and Laozi" formed through combination of the thought of Laozi and Zhuangzi. The "Way of the Five Pecks of Rice" established by Zhang Daoling in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220) led to the final formation of Taoism.
Laozi was regarded as the founder of Taoism as his philosophical thought was borrowed and the Tao Te Ching was the main classic. Because Taoism originated among the common people and the earliest sites for activities were mostly in mountainous areas, Taoist architecture only included caves, stone chambers, residences in mountains, thatched cottages, public houses and other civilian residences.
The requirement on the practicing and living environment was also very simple - "living in remote places far from the mundane world."
Most of the Taoist buildings built in the past more than 2,000 years were on mountains. Such orientation of Taoist architecture had its own ideological basis: first, under the influence of the basic thought that "Tao models itself after nature," admiring nature, following nature and returning to nature became inevitable pursuits of Taoism in terms of architecture, so buildings should be built in mountains, forests and rustic areas.
Also, Taoists took "attainment of enlightenment and immortality" as the ultimate goal of practice, created "36 cave heavens and 72 auspicious sites" on mountains and in forests in correspondence with the legendary auspicious sites where immortals lived.
About the book
Chinese Architecture Written by Cai Yanxin Published by China Intercontinental Press, Beijing, 2018
Taoism, China's indigenous religion that originated from the art of seeking immortality.
There were pills of immortality in the Warring States Period (475BC-221BC), the ways of "the Yellow Emperor and Laozi" formed through combination of the thought of Laozi and Zhuangzi. The "Way of the Five Pecks of Rice" established by Zhang Daoling in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220) led to the final formation of Taoism.
Laozi was regarded as the founder of Taoism as his philosophical thought was borrowed and the Tao Te Ching was the main classic. Because Taoism originated among the common people and the earliest sites for activities were mostly in mountainous areas, Taoist architecture only included caves, stone chambers, residences in mountains, thatched cottages, public houses and other civilian residences.
The requirement on the practicing and living environment was also very simple - "living in remote places far from the mundane world."
Most of the Taoist buildings built in the past more than 2,000 years were on mountains. Such orientation of Taoist architecture had its own ideological basis: first, under the influence of the basic thought that "Tao models itself after nature," admiring nature, following nature and returning to nature became inevitable pursuits of Taoism in terms of architecture, so buildings should be built in mountains, forests and rustic areas.
Also, Taoists took "attainment of enlightenment and immortality" as the ultimate goal of practice, created "36 cave heavens and 72 auspicious sites" on mountains and in forests in correspondence with the legendary auspicious sites where immortals lived.
About the book
Chinese Architecture Written by Cai Yanxin Published by China Intercontinental Press, Beijing, 2018
RELATED ARTICLES
