• Journal of architectural history
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.103-126
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• 2009

This study aims to discover historical trends and change of form of all stupas in India with observation of field study that is as direct as possible, by classifying, analyzing, and synthesizing the stupas. Study of Indian stupa in Korea has a number of shortcomings since only introductory partial approach has been made in order to seek the origin of Korean pagoda. This study also aims to correct errors of stupa terminology in Chinese character committed by misinterpretation of Hindi language which was established by precedent Japanese scholars several decades ago. Piled-up stupas were totally destroyed by pagans, therefore their remains tell us only of structure, material, sizeand disposition. However remains of carved stone at torana and drum give us clues as to the original form of stupa and worshipping activity, as well as change to a more luxurious form. Many rock cave stupas of India show us both simple forms matching the ascetic age of early Buddhism and luxurious changes in Mahayanan era introducing us to statues of Buddha. Indians recovered the spheric form of 'anda,' a Hindi term meaning cosmic egg, from the hemispheric form of the piled-up stupa. Therefore we might discard the erratic term of 'bokbal', which means an upset vessel. Railings and parasols became main factors of stupa design. Carved railings around stupa became a sign of divinity. Serious worshipping activity made drums long or high and created multi-embossed stripes. Bases of circular drums of some cave stupas changed their shapes to rectangular or octagonal. Single parasols became multiparasols of affluent flowerlike curved stems on carved stupa. Multistoried, elongated and high parasols of Gandhara stupas are closely related to such factors as diverse changes of form in Indian subcontinent. Four-sided torana gate and ayaka column of the circular form of original stupas suggest the rectangular form of subsequent East Asian pagoda, and higher and wider base of Indian stupas became the origin of East Asian rectangular pagoda.

• Journal of architectural history
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.77-90
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• 2012

The typical form of Indian Stupa, which is going to understood the gradual development and various forms at the Kushan-era Stupa. Buddhist art and architecture of the Kushan-era was influenced Gandharan Hellenistic culture of the foreign. And indigenous Indian cultures of mature was visually big change. The Kushan-era Stupa has been ten feature. First, a circular podium at typical form of the initial Stupa was constantly changed. Second, is the Stupa of the overlaps and increase podium. Third, the Stupa has been square podium. Forth, is down scale of Anda(Bokbal). Fifth, increases the Stupa and Railing smaller, and Change the position of the Torana(gateway). Sixth, changing the target of the faith, thereby a statue of Buddha has been added in the Stupa. Seventh, around the main Stupa and podium are made in a tabernacle. Eighth, the developed spokes structure was added to on the podium inside. Ninth, crosswise plan appears unlike general Stupa. This type has relevance with Tower Stupa. Tenth, the Votive Stupa was added to the temples and Apse type chaitya has been developed.

• Journal of architectural history
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.55-70
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• 2010

Although scholarly terminology should have clear meanings as signs, Korean pagoda terminology has become jargon and is creating difficulties in communicating meanings which are far from the originally intended meanings; this terminology is sometimes notated in dead language, meaning old Chinese characters, or Japanese styled Chinese characters. Nobody has asked questions on the terminology itself which has long been commonly used for a century, since the Japanese-ruling period. One of the main reasons for this error is that the Indian Buddhist scriptures in Sanskrit has been translated into Chinese with vague understanding of form and meaning of stupa since 3rd Century A.D. On the other hand, the English-language terminology, already built by Indology scholars since the beginning of the 20th century, consists of easier language and clearer meanings. This paper examines misunderstanding and mistranslation of the original Indian stupa terms and suggests new terminology in current, easier language.

• Journal of architectural history
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.41-60
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• 2011

As Overturned-bowl Stupa of India, the origin of Stupa, is accepted by neighboring countries, pure form and local characteristics combined to bring change in unique style for each country. Such change is established as new style through combination with contemporary tradition in China. In this thesis, pattern of Stupa shown in Longmen Grottoes' Relief-Stupa relieves. Since study on how Indian Stupa was introduced into China has been partially undertaken, this study focuses on the pattern of Stupas from that perspective. 40 Stupas were explored during field work with naked eyes, among about 50 stupas reported on the research data by Longmen Grottoes Institute. Relief-Stupa relieves of Longmen Grottoes are as important as Yungang Grottoes. While Yungang Grottoes were built during a period when Gandhara style and Occidental expression were adopted and integrated with Chinese culture and Buddhism, building of Longmen Grottoes can be called a starting point of 'Chinese' style of Buddhist culture and Stupa, fully integrated with Chinese culture.

• Journal of architectural history
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.57-66
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• 2015

As Sri Lanka Stupa had been affected by Indian stupa directly, understanding Sri Lanka Stupa is important to know about the flow of Buddhist Art History, which is showing the variation of Initial Buddhist stupa. Due to invasions and disasters, all Sri Lanka's Stupa collapsed and became random mound. After restoration works, Stupa shape changed dramatically from the Initial shape to Existing shape. Since it is hard to find out how Initial stupas were like, Sanchi Stupa needed to be an example for the comparative study as an Initial shape. Sri Lanka Stupa have Square foundation and 3 Basal rings that are supporting the Main Dome. Entrances are on all 4 sides, Railing and Torana(gate) has never found in Sri Lanka stupa. Sri Lanka stupa has been classified with the shape of Dome into 6~8 types according to "Vijayanta Potha", the Ancient Buddhist Description, and described by several researchers confusingly. With the inconvenience of using unfamiliar words and irrational gap between the Initial Sri Lanka stupa and Existing Sri Lanka stupa, proposing new classification of Sri Lanka Stupa is necessary. Existing Sri Lanka Stupa can be classified into 4 types : which is (1)Bell type, (2)Pot type, (3)Mound type, (4)Bubble type. This suggestion is for further studies to use Easier and shorter words to describe the types and make it reasonable to use, since the current classification includes 3 stupa types even there is no case for any of them. Restrict Stupa Classifications within existing Sri Lanka Stupa is needed because the current classification had been continued for hundreds of years without any adjustments. Bell type is mainly located in Anuradhapura. Pot type and Mound type is only found in limited area, and Bubble type is located in most area of Sri Lanka.

• Journal of architectural history
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• v.2 no.2 s.4
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• pp.89-106
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• 1993

Wherever Buddhism has flourished, there were stupas in the form of monuments which have their origin in the tumulm of prehistoric times. After the death of Buddha, his body was cremated following the Indian funeral custom. His ashes, which long reserved for the remains of nobles and holymen, were enshrined under such artificial hills of earth and brick. The Stupa was in origin a simple burial-mound. The form of the burial-mound was a symbolical or magic reconstruction of the imagined shape of the sky, like a dome covering the earth. The domical form of the earliest tumuli may have been concious replicas of the shape of the Vedic hut. There are relationships which may have originally existed between the stupa and West Asiatic monuments. Buddhist Stupa originally cosisted of an almost hemispherical tumulus(anda) and an altar-like structure (harmika) on its top, surmounted by one or several superimposed honorific umbrellas (hti, catta). This hemispherical form is associated with centralisation, lunar worship, mother earth, and Siva. Anda means a symbol of latent creative power, the harmika symbolizes the sanctuary enthroned aboved the world. The honorific umbrella, as an abstract imitation of the shade-giving tree is one of the chief solar symbols and that of enlightenment.

• Journal of architectural history
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.7-24
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• 2012

The Buddhist cave temple carved into the rock provides a large space for the ritual in general in which a structure of Stupa is built in the center of the space purely for religious worship empty of Sarira, and the temple is formed around this Stupa. Relief-Stupa of the cave temple indicates the similar shape that of Relief-religious worship of flat land temple. However, there appears a small difference in representation since the background of formation of the cave temple differs in that of flat land temple. Specially, Caitya Stupa of currently existing cave temples have been damaged to lose of their original shape only possible to be analyzed the stylistic development through Relief-Stupa from which the characteristic of Stupa could be understood. The early cave temple could be characterized with a balanced structure consists of upturn bowl, steeple stone with simple drum & Hamikawasnagae, in which it appears strongly the detail factor characteristics of drum & steeple of having system with Caitya Stupa. In the post cave temple, the subject of worship moved to statue of Buddha due to the influence of Gandhara, Mathura art which reduced the importance of Stupa. This illustrates in Relief-stupa as well the style change as well as changes in detail factor. The sculpture appeared at the limited location either the wall of Caitya shrine or pillar in vihara cave with stronger decorative meaning. Contrast to the Relief Stupa of early flat land temples or the cave temples mentioned above sculptured with symbolism, however, the post cave temple showed the relief structure based on the plan of flat plan.

• Journal of architectural history
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.23-35
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• 2013

This study aims to investigate the architectural characteristics of the Da-bo stupa by examining the correlation among architectural languages and by studying the features of its architectural components and transitional changes shown in Da-bo stupa line drawings in Dunhuang Mogao Grottes. The results are as follows. 1st, the Da-bo stupa of Dunhuang faithfully follows the sutra of lotus, and although the form changes, the fundamental essence of Bo-tap-yong-chul and two seated Buddhas provided by the Gyun-bo-tap-pum in the sutra of lotus is consistent. 2nd, the pagoda body can be periodically divided into parasol, stupa, and royal palace types. The parasol type has an incomplete tower body, which makes distinguishing each of its architectural components difficult. The stupa type appeared between the early (AD 618-712) and middle (AD 766-835) Tang dynasty. It combines the form of Indian stupa type and East Asian wood structural architecture. The royal palace type, which appeared between the peak period of the Tang (713-765) and Sung Dynasties, shows the standardized pattern of the Da-bo stupa described as two seated Buddhas and Bo-tap-yong-chul. 3rd, the use of a stylobate does not appear in the early construction of Da-bo stupa, only in the later period, in the form of high pillars. Forms include many Su-mi-jwah and three-way stairways and Dab-do, but as time passes, the forms are simplified to the form of high pillars. 4th, the purpose of early Da-bo stupa was to provide space for Da-bo-yu-rae of Gyun-bo-tap-pum; hence, it did not have sangryoon(the top part). However, after it was influenced by general pagodas, sangryoon was established. Toward the Tang Dynasty, sangryoon has come to emphasize the forms of boryoon(nine wheels) or dome. However, this form is eventually simplified to only retain bo-joo(the orb).

• Journal of architectural history
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.39-54
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• 2011

The Bunhuangsa stone pagoda, constructed in AD. 634, National Treasure no. 30, has been named as 'brick-copied pagoda' since the Japanese-ruling period by scholars. It is said that the Chinese brick pagoda was its precedent model, however the Bunhuangsa Pagoda is the oldest of all the Chinese-style brick pagodas except one, the Sungaksa Pagoda. The Chinese pagoda cannot have been a precedent model to copy due to its complex detail of wood vestige, as the Bunhuangsa pagoda is simple form without ornament. Domestic brick pagodas cannot have been a precedent model to copy as well, because all the domestic brick pagodas are younger than the Bunhuangsa Pagoda. Therefore, the terminology 'brick-copied pagoda' is a fallacy; it is rather that later brick pagoda copied the precedent the Bunhuangsa stone pagoda. The Bunhuangsa Pagoda is simply a piled-up pagoda of thick or thin, big or small slates of stone, facing only one smooth side and therefore needing nothing to relate to brick. The originality of the pagoda is more related to simple piled-up Indian stone stupa rather than Chinese brick pagoda. The roof form of its gradually stepped projection comes from the harmika of the summit of Indian stupa. Contrary to general history, old Silla Dynasty imported Buddhism directly from India by sea. From written national history and by temple foundation history, the Indian Buddhism evangelist possibly made influence to the erecting of temple and pagoda. The original wrong terminology has made a harmful effect gradually to the naming of mass-styled stone pagoda of only carved stepped-roof form after brick-copied pagoda. The false term 'brick-copied pagoda' should be discarded, which comes with superficial observation based on toadyism to China and colonialism to Japan. Instead of the fallacious term, this paper suggests multi-storied 'piled-up pagoda with slate stone.'

• Journal of architectural history
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.71-86
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• 2022

This study examines the process of the introduction of stupa, which has originated in India, to the Xinjiang Uyghur region and the features of the stupas in the Xinjiang Uyghur region in detail. This study examines the layout of the buildings in temple compounds and the types, structural elements, and construction methods of the stupas in the Xinjiang Uyghur region in particular by looking into the content of the Da Tang Xi Yu Ji and remaining stupas, which provide examples of stupas at the time. This study finds that due to the characteristics of dry deserts, stupas in Xinjiang Uyghur region, where assimilation between Eastern and Western cultures is seen, were mostly made by pressing clay into a mold and had no interior spaces. Also, construction materials and techniques had been developed and improved in a way that enabled stupas to combat the challenging desert conditions. However, the stupas in this region differed significantly from the wooden tower-like stupas discovered in central China(zhongyuan 中原). The shape of the dome of most stupas in Xinjiang Uyghur region was chosen under the influence of the Gandharan style. Some of the stupas in the region have taken the general forms of the wooden stupas and the others have taken many forms, from cylindrical drums to towers. Also, there have been forests of stupas and stupas similar in form to chaityas and stupas of Vajrayana. Such different forms were transformed and modified through regional history and it was related to the peoples and cultures that produced and used stupas. Stupas evolved into distinct forms in Xinjiang Uyghur region in this way.