''Miao'' () are buildings in traditional

East Asian East Asia is a geocultural region of Asia. It includes China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan, plus two special administrative regions of China, Hong Kong and Macau. The economies of Economy of China, China, Economy of Ja ...

religions enshrining gods, myths or legends, sages of past dynasties, and famous historical figures. They are a kind of

Chinese temple architecture Chinese temple architecture refer to a type of structures used as place of worship of Chinese Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, or Chinese folk religion, where people revere ethnic Chinese gods and ancestors. They can be classified as: * '' mi� ...

and contrast with Ci shrines which enshrine ancestors and people instead of deities. The word

temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a place of worship, a building used for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. By convention, the specially built places of worship of some religions are commonly called "temples" in Engli ...

is translated into Chinese as .

In China

In China, a Miao is a place where ancestral spirits are enshrined, while a cemetery exists separately. Therefore, it is positioned like a

Buddhism Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

, but unlike a Buddhist altar, it is not located in the main building, but in a separate building dedicated to the Miao. In China, where ancestors are revered with great respect, the Miao has been the most important place in the house since ancient times. In addition to ancestral spirits, people sometimes build Miaos to enshrine heroes and ancient deities that they respect and worship, as in the case of

Confucius Confucius (; pinyin: ; ; ), born Kong Qiu (), was a Chinese philosopher of the Spring and Autumn period who is traditionally considered the paragon of Chinese sages. Much of the shared cultural heritage of the Sinosphere originates in the phil ...

and

Guan Yu Guan Yu (; ), courtesy name Yunchang, was a Chinese military general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. Along with Zhang Fei, he shared a brotherly relationship with Liu Bei and accompanied him on ...

, which are enshrined in many Miaos throughout China. As a result of the

three teachings In Chinese philosophy, the ''three teachings'' (; , Chữ Hán: 三教) are Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. The learning and the understanding of the three teachings are traditionally considered to be a harmonious aggregate within Chinese ...

(Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism), some Miaos enshrine deities and sages, and are collectively referred to as "Miaos".

Confucianism

There are Miaos dedicated to

and other Confucian deities in places such as academies. Famous examples are the Kongmyo, known as a

World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

, and the Yushima Cathedral attached to the Shoheizaka Academy in

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

. The word

Temple of Confucius A temple of Confucius or Confucian temple is a temple for the veneration of Confucius and the sages and philosophers of Confucianism in Chinese folk religion and other East Asian religions. They were formerly the site of the administration of ...

is Kongmiao in Chinese, reflecting their status as Miao rather than Ci Shrines

Taoism

There are City God Miao dedicated to City Gods and Tudigong Miaos dedicated to

Tudigongs A Tudigong ( zh, s=土地公, l=Lord of the Land) is a kind of Chinese tutelary deity of a specific location. There are several Tudigongs corresponding to different geographical locations and sometimes multiple ones will be venerated together in ...

, Guan Yu Miao dedicated to

, Yue Fei Miao dedicated to

Yue Fei Yue Fei (; March 24, 1103 – January 28, 1142), courtesy name Pengju (), was a Chinese military general of the Song dynasty and is remembered as a patriotic folk hero, national hero, known for leading its forces in Jin–Song Wars, the wars ...

, etc. in various places.

In Japan

Overview

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

, a building dedicated to a specific person is called a , , or .

Shinto Shiki

Shinto shrines are mainly enshrined in the same way as ordinary

Shinto shrine A Stuart D. B. Picken, 1994. p. xxiii is a structure whose main purpose is to house ("enshrine") one or more kami, , the deities of the Shinto religion. The Also called the . is where a shrine's patron is or are enshrined.Iwanami Japanese dic ...

s. The Engishiki Jinmeicho lists the shrine as "Oobihimebyo Shrine" (one of the head shrines of the current Usa Jingu), while the Engishiki Shikibu-shiki section lists "Kashihimyo" (now Kashii Shrine), which is not listed in the Jinmeicho.、It is said that in some cases they were distinguished from shrines.

In Vietnam

In Vietnam Miao are called . In Vietnamese custom it is said that: Every village worshiping gods must have a Miao. In some places, there is both a Miao and a communal house. The is the place where ghosts and spirits are dressed, the communal house is the place to worship the

City God A tutelary (; also tutelar) is a deity or a spirit who is a guardian, patron, or protector of a particular place, geographic feature, person, lineage, nation, culture, or occupation. The etymology of "tutelary" expresses the concept of safety and ...

and to serve as an office for people to gather. Miaos are often built in scenic places, especially on high mounds, or near large lakes and rivers. have highly diverse architectural styles in Vietnam.

References

{{Religious Confucianism * Traditional sacrificial buildings in East Asia Temples in Chinese folk religion Vietnamese folk religion Buildings and structures in Vietnam Religious buildings and structures Death customs Taoism Temples Pages with unreviewed translations