Some are standing Buddha statues symbolize Dharma being taught. Some are sitting statues which symbolize meditative concentration. Some are reclining statues which symbolize perfect merit and wisdom. There are two types of Buddha niches one is lined up against the wall, whereas the other adopts an“island type” which leaves a pathway behind the statue to allow space for circumambulation.

The route for circumambulation depends on the layout of the shrine. If the shrine is broad in width, then the “twin-dragon” procession can be used. If the shrine is in a tall building with a long and narrow area, then circumambulation can be proceeded in a single line with participants from both sections joined together. The design of the cornice can be divided into upturned-eaves-style originated from northern China and flat-eaves-style from southern China.

The building materials are normally wood and cement used to imitated ancient architecture styles. Wood is very flammable and thus not as safe, while cement appears too modern. However, an even more modern building material available is steel, which gives the advantage of minimizing the number of pillars within a shrine. This makes the shrine more spacious and helps to structure a more integrated layout.

The inner walls of the shrine are usually covered in rows of miniature Buddha statues or illustrations of Buddhist stories as decoration. Some ancient Buddhist temples even use French windows as the walls. Some shrines require that the visitors take off their shoes, while some do not. Generally, it depends on the flooring material used. The material may be carpet, marble, wood, plastic floor, red brick, and so forth. Among these materials, carpet gets dusty and dirty easily, which raises hygiene issues. Marble is easy to clean but hard and cold.

Wood is a breeding ground for bugs, and expands with heat and contracts with cold. When time passes, wood changes shape and peels easily; it cannot endure moisture and turn black easily too. Thus, each material has its own advantages and disadvantages.







【Key Words】

Buddha niches：佛龕

“Twin-dragon”procession：

雙龍搶珠