Broadly speaking, temples are not only related to Buddhism. However, in Buddhism, there are many names of temples: for example, "temple" did not originally refer to Buddhist temples. Since the Qin Dynasty, the official residence has often been called a temple. In the Han Dynasty, the places where western monks lived were also called temples. Since then, "Temple" has gradually become the special name of Buddhist architecture in China. "Temple" is a new name for Buddhist architecture in China to show respect for Buddhism after Buddhism was introduced into China. Such as White Horse Temple and Jokhang Temple. Let's talk about buddhist nun, which is the temple where nuns live. There are grottoes, which are caves dug on cliffs and are a form of early Buddhist architecture. This form is often used in early Buddhist temples in India. There are two forms of Buddhist grottoes in India. One is a secluded monk's room with a square hole, a front door and a small Buddhist shrine cut on three sides for monks to sit in and practice. One is Zhiti Cave, which has a large area. Behind the cave stands a stupa in the middle, in front of which believers can gather to worship Buddha. In Mongolian, "Temple" is called "Zhao". Such as big shout, five shout, etc. In addition, there are Potala Palace and Putuo Zongcheng Temple.
In Taoism, there are many names for temples: in the early days of Taoism, its religious organizations and places were called "places of governance". Also known as Lu, Jing and Bao Jing. In the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the place of Taoist activities was called Xiandian. During the period of Emperor Wu of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, the name of the Taoist activity place was called "Guan", which meant watching the stars and looking at the gas. In the Tang Dynasty, because the emperor recognized Laozi as his ancestor, the emperor's residence was called "Palace", and Taoist architecture was also called "Palace". Others are called "courtyards" and "holy places", such as Wenshuyuan and Bi Xia Temple.
Confucianism calls it "temple", "palace" and "altar", such as Confucius Temple, Confucian Temple, Lama Temple and Temple of Heaven.
Islam calls it "temple", such as mosque. Catholicism calls it the "church".
In primitive people or among the people, they were called "temples" and "shrines", such as places where ancestors, deities and buddhas were worshipped in the old days. Known as ancestral temple, Zhongyue temple, Xiyue temple, Nanyue temple, Beiyue temple, Daimiao and so on. Such as ancestral temples, ancestral temples (temples dedicated to ancestors or sages), Wuhou temples, Chinese temples, etc.
Temple culture has completely preserved the historical relics of various dynasties in China. Among the national cultural relics protection units announced by the state, temples and related facilities account for about half, so they are worthy of being called "cultural relics treasures". The combination of temple architecture and traditional palace architecture has distinctive national style and folk characteristics.
At the same time, temple culture has penetrated into every aspect of our lives, such as astronomy, geography, architecture, painting, calligraphy, sculpture, music, dance, cultural relics, temple fairs, folk customs and so on. The annual temple fair in various places is in full swing, which not only enriches the cultural atmosphere of various places, but also promotes the development of local tourism.