MODULE 3

Architecture in Asia
and the Pacific Region
 Indian
Architecture
Indian Architecture
▪ Architecture of the Indian subcontinent
▪ Characterized by Hindu and Buddhist monuments
▪ Structures sometimes share the same site, have
rhythmic stratified motifs, and profuse carved
ornamentation, often combining the religious and the
sensuous.
Mauryan Dynasty
The Great Stupa at Sanchi, oldest
existing stupa in India.

■ Ancient Indian people who united

northern India and established an
empire 320 BC.
■ Architecture shows the cultural
influence of Persia and the first
use of dressed stone (stone
worked to desired shape and
smoothed on the face).
The site of Sanchi. (Comprises a group of Buddhist monuments - monolithic pillars, palaces, temples and
monasteries. It is the oldest Buddhist sanctuary in existence and was a major Buddhist centre in India.)
Gupta Dynasty
▪ Court was the center of classical Indian art and
literature
▪ Pallava, Hindu state established in southern India,
which contributed to the expansion of Indian culture
into Southeast Asia.
▪ Dravidian, style of Indian architecture in the Pallava
period,
Kiva
■ Large underground or partly
underground chamber used by the
men for religious ceremonies or
councils.
Buddhist Structures
Stambha
Also lats; a freestanding memorial pillar
bearing carved inscriptions, religious
emblems, or a statue.
Stupa
Dhamek Stupa.

■ A Buddhist memorial mound to

enshrine a relic of Buddha.
■ Ceylon, dagoba; Tibet and Nepal,
chorten.
■ Dome-shaped mound on a
platform, crowned by a chattri,
surrounded by an ambulatory
(stone vedika), with four toranas.
Parts of a Buddhist Stupa
▪ Torana, elaborately carved, ceremonial gateway in
Indian Buddhist and Hindu architecture with two or
three lintels between two posts.
▪ Vedika, railing enclosing the stupa.
▪ Chattri, umbrella-shaped finial symbolizing dignity,
composed of a stone disc on a vertical pole.
▪ Medhi, a shallow berm ringing the base of the
hemispherical mound.
Plan and elevation of a Buddhist stupa.
Other Buddhist Structures
▪ Vihara, monastery often excavated
from solid rock.
▪ Chaitya, shrine carved out of solid rock
on a hillside; form of an aisled basilica
with a stupa at one end.
▪ Wat, buddhist monastery or temple in
Thailand or Cambodia.
▪ Gompa, Tibetan Buddhist monastery or
nunnery.
Hindu Temples
Mandira
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple.

■ A hindu temple.
■ Rath, a monolithic, freestanding
Hindu temple cut out of solid rock.
■ Vimana, sanctuary of a Hindu
temple in which a deity is
enshrined.
■ Shaivite temples (for Shiva) face
east.
■ Vaishnavite (for Vishnu) temples
face west.
 Lingnam, a phallus, the symbol of
the god Shiva in Hindu architecture.

Garbha griha, womb chamber; the

dark innermost sanctuary where the
statue of the deity is placed.

Amalaka, bulbous stone finial of a

sikhara.

Sikhara, tower usually tapered

convexly and capped by an amalaka
.
Gopuram, monumentally, usually
ornate gateway tower.

Mandapa, large, porch-like hall and

used for religious dancing and
music.

Parts of a Hindu mandira.

Shore Temple. (One of the oldest freestanding Hindu temple.)
Influence on
Southeast Asia
Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia. (One of the largest religious structures in the world; a “temple mountain.”)
City and plan of the Angkor Wat.
Angkor Wat
Angkor, Cambodia.

■ Vrah Vishnulok, the temple’s

probable original name.
■ Built by Suryavarman, king of the
Khmer empire.
■ Constructed to honor the Hindu
god, Vishnu and to serve as the
king’s tomb after he died.
■ Use of corbelled arch.
Borobudur, Central Java, Indonesia. (“Temple of the Countless Buddhas.” Largest Buddhist temple in the world.)
Borobudur
Central Java, Indonesia.

■ The great “cosmic mountain.”

■ tepped pyramid resting on a base
shaped to represent a mandala
(geometric symbol of the
universe.)
■ Base (kamadhatu); Built in three
tiers: a pyramidal base with five
concentric square terraces
(rupadhatu), the trunk of a cone
with three circular platforms and,
at the top, a stupa (arupadhatu).
Borobudur Temple Complex
▪ The Borobudur Temple
▪ Mendut Temple
Whose depiction of Buddha is represented by a
formidable monolith accompanied by two Bodhisattvas
▪ Pawon Temple
A smaller temple, inner space does not reveal which
deity might have been the object of worship.
 Chinese
Architecture
Chinese Architecture
▪ Palaces and temples are the chief building type.
▪ Diverse architecture caused by differences in
geographic and climatic conditions.
▪ System of wood frame construction.
Yang-shao
A model of Jiangzhai, a Yangshao
village.

■ Neolithic culture in China centered

around the Yellow River.
■ Characterized by pit dwellings and
fine pottery painted in geometric
designs.
Shang Dynasty
The site of Yin, the capital of the Shang
dynasty.

■ Also Yin Dynasty.

■ 1600-1030 BC.
■ Introduction of writing,
development of an urban
civilization, and a mastery of
bronze casting.
Qin Dynasty
▪ 221-206 BC
▪ Emergence of a centralized government; first
imperial dynasty.
▪ The construction of much of the Great Wall of China.
Religious Structures
Towers and gateways
▪ Pailou, monumental gateway to a palace, tomb, or
sacred place.
▪ Zhonglou, bell tower or pavilion at the right side of a
city gate, palace entrance, or forecourt of a temple.
▪ Gulou, left side counterpart of a zhonglou.
Mingtang
■ Bright Hall
■ Biyong, jade ring moat.
■ A ritual structure that serves as
the symbolic center of imperial
power.
■ Designated as the intersection of
heaven (circle) and earth (square),
oriented around the four cardinal
directions.
■ Lingtai, spirit altar, raised
astronomical observatory; usually
the central, circular upper storey
of the mingtang.
Ta
▪ A Chinese pagoda.
▪ Pagoda, Buddhist temple, square or polygonal in
plan, with roofs projecting from each storey; erected
as a memorial or to hold relics (derived from the
Indian stupa).
The Songyue Temple Ta, Dengfeng, Henan Province. (China’s oldest surviving ta.)
Fogong Pagoda. (200-foot-high tower built entirely out of wood.)
Temple of Heaven
■ Circular Mound Altar, ritual
platform.
■ Imperial Vault of Heaven
■ Hall for Prayer for Good Harvests
■ Abstinence Palace
Temple of Heaven. (Circular wooden prayer hall, heaven. Rectangular courtyards, earth.)
Hall for Prayer for Good Harvest, Temple of Heaven.
Palaces
Palace of Heavenly Purity, Beijing, China. (Built by emperor Zhu Di, the best preserved imperial palace in China.)
Forbidden City
■ A palace complex including
temples, reception halls,
residences, and service buildings.
■ Palace of Heavenly Purity, the
residence of the son of heaven
and the conceptual center of the
empire.
■ Hall of Supreme Harmony,
emperor’s throne room; also
where he met daily with his
officials.
Summer Palace, Beijing, China. (Summer retreat from the Forbidden City.)
Arrangement of Buildings
▪ Buildings are dispersed around a courtyard.
▪ Entire grouping is organized around a central
pathway or axis.
▪ Largest and most important building at the
northernmost.
▪ Surrounding structures and courtyards increase in
size as they get closer to the main building.
Fortifications
The Great Wall of China, built by Qin Shih Huang Ti.
Great Wall of
China
■ Fortified wall to protect China
against nomads from the north.
■ Also served as a means of
communication.
Design Principles
Yin-Yang
■ The interaction of two opposing
and complementary principles
■ Yin: feminine, dark, and negative
■ Yang: masculine, bright, and
positive
Feng Shui
■ “wind water”
■ Arranging architectural elements
so that they are in harmony with
nature.
■ Goal: to promote the optimal flow
of positive energy (chi’i) within the
building.
■ Most buildings face south or
southeast to take advantage of
prevailing winds and sunshine.
Jian
▪ The basic measure in construction.
▪ Standard unit of space marked by adjacent frame
supports.
Dougong
■ Interlocking bracket system used
in traditional Chinese construction
to support roof beams.
■ Has both structural and decorative
purpose.
Colors
Connotations of colors:
▪ Green, wood.
▪ Yellow, earth; spaces reserved for emperors.
▪ Blue and black, water.
▪ White and gray, metal.
▪ Red, fire; hope and satisfaction.
 Japanese
Architecture
Japanese Architecture
▪ Characterized by a synthesis of seminal ideas from
China and native conditions producing a distinct
style
▪ Light, delicate, and refined.
Nara Period
Heijō Palace, imperial residence.

■ 710-794 CE.
■ Adoption of Chinese culture and
form of government.
■ Named after the first permanent
capital and chief Buddhist center
in ancient Japan.
Heian Period
▪ 785-1185 CE.
▪ Modification and naturalization of ideas and
institutions introduced from China.
Shinto Shrine
Shimmei-zukuri
▪ Style of Shinto shrine embodying the original style of
Japanese building.
▪ Rectangular plan raised on posts, surrounded by a
railed veranda, with a free-standing post at each
gable end.
▪ Shikinen sengu, the ritual process of rebuilding the
Ise every twenty years.
Ise Jingu
The Ise Jingu consists of two shrines:
▪ Outer Shrine (Geku), which is dedicated to Toyouke,
the Shinto deity of clothing, food and housing.
▪ Inner Shrine (Naiku), which enshrines the most
venerated deity Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess.
Naiku, innermost shrine for Amaterasu. (Rebuilt every 20 years; Unlike most other Shinto shrines, the Ise Shrines
are built in a purely Japanese architecture style which shows almost no influence from the Asian mainland.)
Torii
The torii of Itsukushima (Miyajima)
Shrine.

■ Monumental freestanding gateway

on the approach to a Shinto
shrine.
■ Two pillars connected at the top
by a horizontal crosspiece and a
lintel above it.
Itsukushima Shrine, Hiroshima Prefecture. (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
Buddhist Temple
 Kodo, assembly hall for
monks for reading sacred
texts.
To, Japanese pagoda
enshrining Buddha relics.
Kondo, Golden Hall;
sanctuary where the main
image of worship is kept.
Chumon, inner gateway to
the precinct.
Kairo, covered gallery
surrounding the precinct.
Sorin, crowning spire on a
Japanese pagoda.

A Japanese Buddhist Temple.

Horyuji Temple, Nara. (One of the oldest surviving wooden buildings in the world.)
To
■ Japanese pagoda, also butto or
toba.
■ Central structure of a Buddhist
compound.
The Golden Pavilion, Kyoto. (Kinkaku-ji; Built by Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, a Zen temple.)
Palaces
Himeji Castle. (Himeji-jo; the finest surviving example of early 17th-century Japanese castle architecture.)
Himeji Castle
■ “The White Heron.”
■ Tenshu-gun, keeps.
■ Harakiri-maru, inner courtyard in
the southeast corner of the court
where a samurai would commit
suicide.
Domestic Architecture
Shoin
▪ Meaning “writing hall.”
▪ A new type of residential architecture during the
Muromachi period (1338-1573).
▪ Features the proportioning system of using tatami
mats (about 1x2 yards in size).
▪ Tokonoma, decorative alcove.
▪ Chigaidama, staggered shelves.
▪ Shoji, paper-covered wooden lattice.
 Tana, a recess with built-in
shelving.
Tatami, straw mats used as
floor coverings (about 3’x6’)
Tokobashira, post marking the
partition between the
tokonoma and the tana.
Engawa, extension of the
floor, usually facing a garden;
serves as a passageway or
sitting place.
Kakemono, a vertical hanging
scroll containing either text or
a painting.

Zashiki, reception room. (Main room in a traditional Japanese house for receiving guests.)
Chashitsu
■ teahouses
■ venue for tea ceremony
■ Roji, ornamental garden adjacent t
the teahouse.
Proportioning System
Ken
A linear unit for regulating column spacing in
traditional Japanese construction.
Initially equal to 6 shaku (1.818 meters); later
varied according to the tatami mats (approximately
3’ x 6’).
Ken
The size of a room is designated by the
number of its floor mats (tatami).
Tokonoma, a shallow, slightly raised alcove for the display of a kakemono or flower arrangement.
 Islamic
Architecture
Islamic Architecture
▪ Also Muslim, Muhammadan or Saracenic
architecture.
▪ Mosque as a distinct building type.
▪ Domes, tunnel vaults, round and horseshoe arches,
and rich surface decorations (calligraphy and floral
motifs in a geometric framework).
Features
▪ Squinches, supports under the dome.
▪ Muqarnas, “stalactite” decoration of icicle-like
elements hanging from the ceiling.
▪ Glazed tiles on interior and exterior surfaces.
Muqarnas in the entrance gate to the Shah Mosque in Isfahan, Iran.
Structures
Selimiye Mosque, Turkey. (The ultimate architectural expression of the Ottoman külliye, by architect Sinan.)
Mosque
▪ Also masjid or musjid.
▪ Muslim building or place of public worship.
▪ Jami masjid, Friday mosque; a congregational
mosque for public prayer on Fridays.
▪ Ulu Jami, a Friday mosque having a sahn (central
courtyard of a mosque) for large congregations.
▪ Madrasa, teaching mosque.
Parts of a mosque
▪ Minaret, tower attached to the mosque; where the
muezzin calls the Muslim people to prayer.
▪ Iwan, also ivan or liwan, large vaulted portal opening
onto the central courtyard of a mosque.
▪ Mimbar, also minbar, pulpit from which the imam
delivers his sermons.
▪ Qibla, also qiblah, wall in a mosque in which the
mihrab (niche or decorative panel) is set, oriented to
Mecca.
Parts of a mosque
▪ Sahn, atrium
▪ Fawwara, or meda, fountain for washing before
prayers.
▪ Liwanat, colonnade
▪ Dikka, reading desk
▪ Maqsura, screen, protective barrier of the mimbar.
Decorations
▪ Domes
▪ Pointed or ogee arches
▪ Walls covered in stone carvings, inlays, and mosaics.
▪ Ornaments are based on flora, geometric shapes,
and Arabic script.
Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem. (Islam’s oldest monument.)
Dome of the Rock
Jerusalem.

■ Influenced by Byzantine
architecture.
■ Used as a shrine for pilgrims; at its
center is the sacred rock from
which Muhammad is said to have
ascended to heaven.
■ Octagonal in plan
The Great Mosque (Masjid al-Haram), Mecca. (The largest mosque in the world; site of the Haj pilgrimage.)
Ka’ba
■ Also Ka’aba or Ka’abah.
■ “House of God”
■ Small cubical stone building in the
courtyard of the Great Mosque at
Mecca.
■ Contains a sacred black stone.
■ Objective of their pilgrimage.
■ The point toward which they turn
in praying.
Moorish Architecture
▪ Islamic architecture of North Africa (regions of
Spain under Moorish domination).
▪ Building of large mosques and elaborate
fortress-palaces.
▪ Structural systems and decorations adapted
from classical antiquity and combined with
Islamic architecture.
Palace Fortress of Alhambra, Granada, Spain.
Palace Fortress of Alhambra, Granada, Spain.
Mughal Architecture
Or Indo-Islamic; blended traditions from India and
Islam. (Mughal Period, golden age of Islamic
architecture in northern India.)
Humayun’s Tomb, New Delhi, India. (Forerunner of Taj Mahal, oldest of the Mughal monuments.)
Fatehpur Sikri (City of Victory), the capital of the Mughal Empire; built by Emperor Akbar.
Jama Masjid (The Great Mosque), one of the biggest in India; at the centre of the court is the tomb of Shaikh
Salim, a Sufi saint.
Diwan-i-Kas
■ Diwan-i-Kas, Hall of Private
Audience, divided by overhanging
mouldings called chajja.
■ Diwan-i-Am, the Hall of Public
Audience.
Taj Mahal, Agra, India. (Most renowned example of Mughal architecture.)
Taj Mahal
■ “Crown Palace”
■ Built by Shah Jahan as a tomb for
his wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
■ Placed on a chahar bagh, a
platform at the end of a walled
garden divided by canals.
■ The marble facade is decorated
with floral motifs and a type of
inlay called pietra dura (using cut,
fitted, and polished colored stones
to create images).
End of Module 3