The Analysis Of The Architectural Form And Space Layout Of The Architecture For Sacrifice In Shan Xi Province

Sacrificial rites originate in ancient times and spread up to date. As themain places for the sacrificial rites, temples play unique historical roles inthousands of years of feudal society. However, the number of temples decreasessignificantly starting from the outbreak of the Opium War until the founding ofNew China and then to today. This is not only related to the national conditionsof history, but also to the human ideology. With the rapid economicdevelopment, the progress of the modernization of a city is often obstacled bythe pattern of the ancient city. Large amounts of various ancient buildings arewantonly destroyed by human activities and are replaced by massiveskyscrapers. Under the "perfect" aura of the high economic growth rate, theessences of ancient architecture and culture are lost. In order to dig out thespatial rules for the “Houtu” buildings and find a sustainable ways for their sustainable development, this dissertation focus on the “Houtu” Temple in theancient sacrificial buildings, and investigates the “Houtu” culture, thedistribution and spatial characteristics of“Houtu”building as well as the valueof Houtu building and protection.Houtu culture originates in the worship of land. Over time, Houtu wasdeveloped into a personality god. In the sixteenth year of Emperor Hanwen (164BC), it was planned to build a Houtu Temple beside the Yellow River, then, altarof the Houtu deity was replaced by temple, and until today. From the EmperorHanwu of Western Han dynasty personally sacrificed in Fen Yin Temple ofHoutu at first, Houtu was officially listed as the royal sacrifice for thousands ofyears, until the Emperor Song-zhen of Northern Song Dynasty sacrificed FenYin Temple of Houtu at last, Houtu gradually quitted out of the stage of historyof royal sacrifice, instead it became folk sacrifice. Taoist system of SongDynasty absorbed Houtu deity, and regarded as one of the "Four Royals", sincethen, Houtu was given broad rights: mountains, rivers, earth and even hell werewithin her jurisdiction. After Song Dynasty, Image of Houtu was gradually fixed,and went deep into (the thought of) the people, Houtu became one of the mostpopular gods of people.Houtu buildings were affected by Houtu culture, in the royal sacrificialtimes, building type and size of them are the highest level at that time, and wecan find some reflection in existing "Appearance monument of Houtu Temple inSong Dynasty" about Wanrong Houtu Temple. After Song Dynasty, Houtu buildings become folk sacrifices, and their types and sizes were relegated. Asseen from the existing Houtu temples, Houtu buildings are basically with one ortwo courtyards according to "ritual system" system layouts. The order ofbuildings on the main axis is the gate, stage, dedication, and the hall, the rest ofthe ancillary buildings are arranged in a symmetrical form.The number of existing Houtu buildings is small in Shanxi.80%of themare located in Yuncheng and Linfen, because Wanrong is the center of Houtufaith. In the existing Houtu buildings, six of them are designated as nationalkey cultural relics protection units, and one of them is designated as a provincialcultural relics protection units. Even so, a lot of Houtu buildings with rich valueare still not protected. The relevant departments should pay proper attention tothem. About Houtu temple protection, I also raise my viewpoint in the lastchapter, and do not agree protective measures of some local governments. I alsopropose the viewpoint: only with continuous development of Houtu culture,Houtu buildings can survive for long-term.