Different Patterns of Religious Settlements Based on the Historic Landscape Approach: Cases of Buddhist Grottoes in Hexi Corridor
Religious settlements can reflect regional culture and social development, preserve the continuity of spatial structures over time, sustain social networks, and perpetuate traditions. Buddhist settlements, as a particular type of religious settlement, reflect the social development and daily lives o...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Religions |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/15/12/1531 |
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| Summary: | Religious settlements can reflect regional culture and social development, preserve the continuity of spatial structures over time, sustain social networks, and perpetuate traditions. Buddhist settlements, as a particular type of religious settlement, reflect the social development and daily lives of monks and common people. This study used literature research, field investigations, and GISs to construct a framework of the landscape of religious settlements based on the theory of the historic landscape approach. Buddhist grottoes from the Sixteen Kingdoms Period to the Qing Dynasty (304–1912) in the Hexi Corridor of Gansu Province were selected as a case study, and the patterns of religious settlements were identified. According to the analysis, it was found that religious settlements tended to have large religious buildings at their centre, with small buildings and attachments scattered around. They were close to central cities, with a complete transportation network, and they had relatively stable belief spaces. There were clear boundaries between believers and non-believers in the settlements. Four patterns of religious settlements were also identified according to the relationships between geography, social properties, and cultural connotations. These findings diachronically offer a new perspective on the understanding of religious settlements and steps for improving the inheritance of religious culture. |
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| ISSN: | 2077-1444 |