Luoyang Qielanji(洛陽伽藍記) is a document that describes Buddhist Temples in Luoyang, the capital of Northern Wei Dynasty. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the construction backgrounds, architectural elements and layout characteristics of Luoyang Temples in Northern Wei Dynasty. The results are as follows: The construction backgrounds of Luoyang Temples can be categorized into two types: the established-temple (創建型) and the converted-temple(捨宅爲寺型). The layout systems of Luoyang Temples can also be categorized into two main types: The front Pagoda-rear Buddhist Hall layout(前塔後殿), The front Buddhist Hall-rear Lecture Hall layout(前殿後堂). In Luoyang Temples, the pagoda was still an important element of the layout.
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the layout of Early Chinese Buddhist Temples from the Eastern Han Dynasty to the Northern and Southern Dynasties. The results are as follows: 1) In the Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms Period, the layout of Temples was a pagoda-centered system which had one-courtyard. The layout of Temples in this period was still under the influence of Indian Temples. 2) In the Western and Eastern Jin Dynasties, the layout of Temples was still a pagoda-centered system. However, many buildings began to appear in Temples after the mid-4th century. In the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Twin pagodas started to appear in Temples. 3) In the Northern and Southern Dynasties, there were many layout types, but the main form was the layout of front Pagoda and rear Buddhist Hall. The layout of Temples in this period was in a transition stage, which evolved from a pagoda-centered Temple which had one-courtyard and after developed into a Buddhist Hall-centered Temple which had multi-courtyard.
The study on Buddhism architecture in early Joseon dynasty was inactive. The period of King Sejo is important for studying the trend of Buddhism architecture in early Joseon, that was transmitted from the end of Goryeo dynasty, but it was difficult to know its exact situation due to lack of related records. The records were all written by Kim Su-ohn, which are Wongaksabi' 'Sangwonsajungchanggi' 'Bongseonsagi 'Geonginsajungchanggi'. The main hall was mainly second floor and there were necessarily annexed buildings at the right and left of the main hall. So the plane figure of □□□ was shown. It was a main stream for monk's living hall and meditation hall to be located at the right and left of yard in front of main hall. This layout may be referred to search for the origin of the layout in courtyard based structure(中庭形) in the late Joseon dynasty. Most of temples had 3 gates. Some part of horizontal corridor was used as 2 gates and the outer gate, far from main hall, was without corridor. The gate leading to front yard of main hall was called front gate, the next was middle gate and the outer gate was Oisamun(外沙門 )or Samun(沙門). In most of the temples, people could enter into the front yard through pavilion which had the function of bell tower. The pavilions were located between front gate and first corridor. It is thought that this layout of the place for making bean curd outside the temple area will contribute to different studies on temples making bean curd in the future. The records about temple's foundation studied above are a little different between temples, but have more similarities. These common denominators represent the architecture tendency of Buddhist temples in the related period. It is thought that such a tendency was also shown on architecture of other temples during the reign of King Sejo as well as Buddhist temples.