| Title |
A Study on the Architectural Form and Layout of the Bell and Sutra Towers in the Mural Paintings of Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes |
| Keywords |
The Mural Paintings of Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes ; Bell Tower ; Sutra Tower ; The Layout of Buddhist Temples |
| Abstract |
Bell and Sutra Towers are the important elements of early Buddhist Temples. However, we still do not know the exact informations of them. So this paper studies the Bell and Sutra Towers in the Mural Paintings of Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes to find out the specific architectural form and layout of them. The results are as follows: Bell and Sutra Towers in Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes have variety of architectural types and plans, and the octagonal 'Gak(閣)' is the most common type of Bell and Sutra Towers. Bell and Sutra Towers are mostly located in the north side of the Temples. To be more concrete, they are located on top of the north-corridor in the Temples. With regard to the east-west layout, it seems to be that there are no fixed rules. |