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Abstract

Since 2002, I have always taken part in the excavation at Zhaopengcheng Monastery in the site of Yecheng, which provide an opportunity to explore the Buddhist State Monastery in Early Medieval China. Based on the excavated archaeological materials, under the guidance of Prof. Ledderose, this dissertation discusses the relationship of Buddhist Monasteries among China, Korea and Japan between the 5th and 8th century. It focuses on the evolution of monastery layout and the transition of Buddhist thought and practice leading to the modification in architecture form. According to the basic theory of typological comparison, monastery layouts of Medieval East Asia were divided into nine types. Although local characteristics existed in each country, the general evolutionary trend of the monastery layout was consistent: that is the monastery layout evolved from the focus on the Pagoda to the Buddha Hall and from a Single Compound to Multi-Compounds and Multi-Halls. In considering the interaction between space and function, it is reasonable to assume that adjustments in the architectural space were essentially an answer to newly arisen functional needs. Therefore, my dissertation has attempted to interpret the intrinsic causes which have brought to the change of the monastery layout from the perspective of the religious and functional aspects of Buddhist architecture. Though the analysis of the development of Buddhist belief, I draw to the conclusion that the evolution of monastery layout from the single Compound focusing on the Pagoda to the Multi-Compounds and Multi-Halls reflects the evolution of Chinese Buddhist belief from the early "Sakyamuni cult" to the "division into Buddhist Sects" and "multiple objects of worship".