Architectural Characteristics of Taiwan′s Jodoshin Sect Temples Founded During the Japanese Colonial Period

Abstract

During the Japanese Colonial period (1895-1945), Japanese Buddhist sects did missionary work and built Buddhist temples throughout Taiwan. To make clear their roles during the colonial and post-colonial period, the architectural characteristics of the Buddhist temples and their condition of use in the post-war period are worth studying. This paper first discusses the course of Jodoshin propagation and the establishment of temples in Taiwan, their architectural forms and construction and compares them to Japanese Jodoshin Sect temples built in the same period, in order to affirm the characteristics of Jodoshin Buddhist architecture in colonial Taiwan. It also surveys their situations in the post-colonial period in order to clarify the relationship between social background, architectural form and usage. It is concluded that although Taiwan′s Jodoshin Sect temple architecture was different from the common Jodoshin Sect architecture, these differences resulted from the latest Japanese trends. Furthermore, the differences in form and construction may be attributed to different approaches regarding their use in the post-colonial period.