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The Shanmen (), also known as the Gate of Three Liberations, is the most important gate of a
Historic Shanmens in China are either a gateway of the
The Shanmen (), also known as the Gate of Three Liberations, is the most important gate of a Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
Chan Buddhist
Chan (; of ), from Sanskrit '' dhyāna'' (meaning "meditation" or "meditative state"), is a Chinese school of Mahāyāna Buddhism. It developed in China from the 6th century CE onwards, becoming especially popular during the Tang and So ...
temple.
Etymology
The origins of the name "sanmen" are debated. One theory is that "''Shanmen''" takes its literal meaning of "Mountain Gate", because temples were traditionally built in forested mountain areas where Chan monks could seclude away from secular life. Another suggests that during various episodes of suppression of Buddhism in Chinese history, monks moved their monasteries deep into the mountains, and later built gates at the foot of the mountain to guide pilgrims to the temples. A further theory is that "Shanmen" is a corruption of "Sanmen", or "Three Gates", referring to the "three gateways" to liberations.() in the Dharma - the "Kongmen" (; emptiness liberation), "wuxiangmen" (; no-aspects liberation) and "wuyuanmen" (; desireless liberation). The latter view correlates with the traditional structure of Chan temples which included three gateways, said to symbolise the three gateways.Architectural styles
Historic Shanmens in China are either a gateway of the paifang
A ''paifang'', also known as a ''pailou'', is a traditional style of Chinese architectural arch or gateway structure. Evolved from the Indian subcontinent's ''torana'' through the introduction of Buddhism to China, it has developed many styles ...
style, or a more substantial building, typically with three archways. Where a substantial building is used, the two side gateways might be simplified to arched or circular windows, leaving only the middle gate for access. The gate building may be called the "Hall of Three Liberations" or "Hall of the Mountain Gate" ().
Traditionally, if the Shanmen takes the form of a gate building, statues of two guardians of Buddhist law are erected in that hall as guardians of the entrance (identified as "Heng and Ha
Heng and Ha () are two generals of the Shang dynasty in Chinese mythology, featured within the 16th-century Chinese fantasy novel '' Investiture of the Gods''. These two fictional characters were created by the author of ''Investiture of the Gods ...
" (the "''A-un''" Nio
are two wrathful and muscular guardians of the Buddha standing today at the entrance of many Buddhist temples in East Asian Buddhism in the form of frightening wrestler-like statues. They are dharmapala manifestations of the bodhisattva Vajra ...
in Japanese). This is the arrangement at Jietai Temple in Beijing.
In some Chan temples, the Shanmen building is combined with the Hall of the Four Heavenly Kings
The Four Heavenly Kings are four Buddhist gods, each of whom is believed to watch over one cardinal direction of the world. In Chinese mythology, they are known collectively as the "Fēng Tiáo Yǔ Shùn" () or "Sìdà Tiānwáng" (). In the ...
, so that the Four Heavenly Kings serve as guardians of the gateway to the monastery. In other Chan sect temples, the Shanmen building is combined with the Maitreya Hall, with a statue of the Maitreya Buddha erected in the centre of the hall. This is the arrangement seen at Shaolin Temple
Shaolin Monastery (少林寺 ''Shàolínsì''), also known as Shaolin Temple, is a renowned monastic institution recognized as the birthplace of Chan Buddhism and the cradle of Shaolin Kung Fu. It is located at the foot of Wuru Peak of the So ...
and Longhua Temple
The Longhua Temple (, alternatively Lunghwa Temple; literally ''"Dragon Flower Temple''") is a Buddhist temple dedicated to the Maitreya Buddha in Shanghai. Although most of the present day buildings date from later reconstructions, the temple ...
. Yet other Chan temples combine both the Maitreya Hall and the Hall of the Four Heavenly King with the Shanmen, so that the entrance building also features the statue of the Maitreya Buddha at the centre as well as the Four Heavenly Kings on the sides. This is the arrangement at Lingyin Temple
Lingyin Temple () is a Buddhist temple of the Chan sect located north-west of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China. The temple's name is commonly literally translated as Temple of the Soul's Retreat. It is one of the largest and wealthiest Buddhis ...
.
References
Further reading
* *External links
{{Buddhist temples in China Chinese Buddhist architecture