A STUDY ABOUT THE SHURYO IN THE ZEN BUDDHISM TEMPLES OF SOONG AND YUAN DYNASTY OF CHINA

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to clarify the function, architectural composition, scale, the placement in temple, and the formation time of the Shuryo(衆寮) in Zen Buddhism temple of Soong and Yuan dynasty. The historic materials used for this study are the rules(清規) and pictorial record of south Soong dynasty(五山十刹図) of Zen Buddhism temple, analects of Zen priest. And this research brought out four important results like follow: (1) The priests had individual seat at both Sodo(僧堂) and Syuryo. And the Shuryo was used for reading sutra and daily life space. (2) The Shuryo had the court yard in the building for lighting, and supporting space in the rear for needlework, tonsure and so on. And the Shuryo was built as same scale to the inner hall of Sodo for admitting all priests of temple. (3) The Shuryo was placed in the west area of temple and near to Sodo. And in the east area, there were Anjyado(行者堂) and Anjyaryo(行者寮) similar to Sodo and Shuryo, but those were the space for ascetics who didn't became the regular priest yet. (4) The Shuryo of Zen Buddhism temple, take the form as described above, was formatted in the north Soong dynasty at the latest.