Heavenly Kings Hall
E58340
Heavenly Kings Hall is a principal entrance hall in Chinese Buddhist temples, typically housing statues of the Four Heavenly Kings who protect the Dharma.
Aliases (1)
Statements (45)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
Buddhist temple hall
→
religious building type → |
| accessControlRole |
transition space before main worship hall
→
|
| alsoKnownAs |
Hall of the Four Heavenly Kings
→
Tianwang Dian → |
| architecturalPosition |
in front of Mahavira Hall
→
near main gate of temple complex → |
| architecturalStyle |
traditional Chinese architecture
→
|
| associatedDeity |
Dhṛtarāṣṭra
→
Vaiśravaṇa → Virūpākṣa → Virūḍhaka → |
| contains |
central statue of Maitreya in some temples
→
statue of Skanda in some temples → |
| countryOfCulturalOrigin |
China
→
|
| culturalContext |
East Asian Buddhism
→
|
| decorativeElement |
colorful bracket sets (dougong) in many halls
→
|
| function |
principal entrance hall
→
ritual gateway to temple interior → |
| housesStatuesOf |
Four Heavenly Kings
→
|
| iconographicProgram |
guardian kings holding symbolic weapons
→
imagery of subduing demons → |
| influenced |
entrance hall layouts in Japanese Buddhist temples
→
entrance hall layouts in Korean Buddhist temples → |
| interiorFeature |
painted murals of guardian deities in some temples
→
|
| languageOfName |
Chinese
→
|
| liturgicalRole |
space for reciting protective sutras in some traditions
→
|
| orientation |
aligned on main north–south temple axis in many complexes
→
|
| presentIn |
Chan Buddhist temples
→
Pure Land Buddhist temples → Tiantai Buddhist temples → |
| primaryMaterial |
brick
→
wood → |
| religiousConceptRepresented |
Buddhist cosmology of protective deities
→
|
| religiousRole |
protection of the Dharma
→
|
| religiousTradition |
Chinese Buddhism
→
|
| roofType |
gable-and-hip roof in many examples
→
|
| symbolizes |
boundary between secular and sacred space
→
guarding of the temple → |
| timePeriodOfDevelopment |
imperial China
→
|
| typicalLocation |
Chinese Buddhist temple
→
|
| usedFor |
offerings
→
ritual processions → worship → |
| visitorExperienceRole |
first major interior space encountered by worshippers
→
|
Referenced by (2)
| Subject (surface form when different) | Predicate |
|---|---|
|
Guiyuan Temple
→
|
hasHall |
|
Jade Buddha Temple
("kings of heaven hall")
→
|
hasPart |