''Miao (廟)'' are buildings in traditional

East Asian East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The modern states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. China, North Korea, South Korea a ...

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 or Chinese folk religion, where people revere ethnic Chinese gods and ancestors. They can be classified as: * '' miào'' () or ''di� ...

and contrast with Ci Shrines which enshrine ancestors and people instead of deities.

In Vietnam

In Vietnam Miao are called vi, Miếu. 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 Miao 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 Nature spirit, 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 concep ...

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.

In Japan

Overview

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

, 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 is a structure whose main purpose is to house ("enshrine") one or more ''kami'', the deities of the Shinto religion. Overview Structurally, a Shinto shrine typically comprises several buildings. The '' honden''Also called (本殿, meani ...

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.

References

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

In Vietnam

In Japan

Overview

Shinto Shiki

See also

References