Buried Buddhist Shrine Unites Man and Nature in Harmony
Dear friends around the world,
I love nature. I’ve always had a huge attraction to mountains, trees, lakes, streams, forests, greens… and especially environments that have both mountains and crystal clear lakes.
My love for the mountains has been embedded in my mind very strongly since I was a young boy. I’ve always wanted to have a small hut in the mountains where I can engage in deep meditations and retreats. I would be completely at peace in such an environment. I would love to live there quietly for the rest of my life.
This article features a very beautiful shrine located on the outskirts of Tangshan. I like the concept, the simplicity and the aesthetics of the architecture. I would be so happy just staying in one of the rooms and looking through the unobstructed windows. It’s stunning and I want to share it so you too can rejoice for the people who are fortunate enough to frequent this temple.
Tsem Rinpoche
Buried Buddhist Shrine Unites Man and Nature in Harmony
By Lucy Wang
You don’t need to be a Zen master to appreciate this green-roofed Buddhist shrine in rural China. Designed by Arch Studio, the contemporary shrine is partially buried to minimize site disruption and to blend into the landscape. The building emphasizes connection with nature through its design and framed views of the woods and river beyond.
Located in the outskirts of Tangshan by the riverbank, the Buddhist shrine serves as a space for meditation and contemplation. The concrete building is mostly buried underground and is embedded between seven mature trees. The shrine’s various rooms splay out like branches from a large central space and include the entrance, meditation room, tea room, living room, and bathroom.
“The design started from the connection between the building and nature and adopts the method of earthing to hide the building under the earth mound while presenting the divine temperament of nature with flowing interior space,” said Arch Studio.
“A place with power of perception where trees, water, Buddha and human coexist is thus created.”
The concrete surfaces are textured with the natural grain patterns from the pine formwork. Furnishings are constructed from gray-toned timber to match the concrete walls while the smooth terrazzo interior flooring contrasts with the outdoor white gravel. Skylights and large windows let in natural light and framed views. Courtyards with trees and bamboo punctuate the building.
Source: http://inhabitat.com/buried-buddhist-shrine-unites-man-and-nature-in-harmony/
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Thank you for the amazing sharing, not everyone has the opportunity to go overseas to visit, but this article has given us the chance to view and visit the unique architectural design temple.
Looking at those beautiful pictures, fantastic design, experiencing the unique life-style and featured culture gives us an enjoyable feeling. I loved the concept, the simplicity and the aesthetics of the architecture.
The atmosphere, environment and the scenery looks so good while we can feel the holy place calm, peace and relaxing. Hope it will remain the beauty for years to come.
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Hello to every one, it’s in fact a nice for me to go to see this web site,
it contains precious Information.
Dear friends,
This meme is powerful. Who you hang around with and the types of attitude they have is who you will be influenced by many times and who you will become in the future. Look at your friends and the people that always surround you to know who you will become.
Tsem Rinpoche
The architecture of the Buddhist shrine appears simple, artistic and unique making it interesting on the first glimpse. From the point view of ‘fung shui’ literally translates as “wind-water” in English is a Chinese philosophical system of harmonizing everyone with the surrounding environment. The feng shui practice discusses architecture in metaphoric terms of “invisible forces” that bind the universe, earth, and humanity together, known as ‘qi’ would say this architecture inauspicious as it resembles a tomb and hence has the ‘qi’ of a tomb.
On the other hand, an advance practitioner or meditator will welcome this buried shrine for his meditation practice as it will give the meditator an edge to realise his goal.
The architect who designed this shrine has an incredible sense of blending the concrete structure into it’s natural surroundings. It’s done so well that it feels like you’re in the midst of greenery although you’re in the building. The usage of natural lighting is an added advantage as it saves on energy consumption. It also heats up the building during winter months. This architect also uses green roofing as insulation from heat and extreme cold in Tangshan.
This design works well in temperate countries because the windows allow natural light to heat up the building. However, in tropical countries like in Malaysia, I noticed that too many windows create a greenhouse effect in the building and would backfire instead. Having said this, the architect has to design in a way that doesn’t allow direct sunlight into the windows.
All in all, Arch Studios is very talented and creative. I would love to work with people like them when the opportunity arises.
Wonderful blend of architecture and buddhist principles into this modern day shrine. Feels really fresh a modern building with spirituality built in.
Technology is very useful when it can make design easier and accessible to its users. With modern technology, designs such as these can first be evaluated before it is built, hence saving much time and effort unlike the olden days.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for sharing this unique looking Buddhist Temple.
From some of the design, it makes me think about Kechara Forest Retreat, which is peaceful and unique compare to other temple in Malaysia.
Out of curiosity, I have searched from the web to find out more about this temple.
This temple name Buddha Tea House. It is a private spiritual Buddhist retreat and tea house in the rural Tangshan area in China’s northeastern Herbei province. The project was executed by the Beijing-based design and architecture firm Archstudio established in 2010 by architect, Han Wenqiang. The design starts from April 2015 completed in August 2015. The building time started on October 2015 completed in January 2017.
It is an almost flat, 500 square-metre (approx. 5400 sq.ft) wetland plot by the Luan river with only a few, bendy trees. The 169 square-metre (1,800 sq.ft) house is complete, the design has not just preserved the seemingly unremarkable trees,it has revealed them to be spectacularly beautiful. There are five separate segments of the structure – the entry area, the meditation room, tea room, lounge and bathroom – branch out from a trunk and echo the tree theme.
I have attached some pictures about this building.
Thank you Rinpoche for always sharing eye opening news for us
With Folded hand,
Freon
Such zen-like minimalist ultra-modern architecture is not unusual because we see it a lot in Japan, since the 70s and 80s. However, what surprised me was that it is in a rural part of China. I guess it is not surprising because it is in a rural area considering the fact that it is a sort of ultra-modern funeral ground. I like that it beats convention to have it in such a setting. Traditional funeral grounds are old dilapidated temples next to unkept funeral grounds that looked like it was the perfect set for a horror movie.
Anyway, China has come a long way with its bourgeois nouveau riche-type of architecture to understated spiritual and meditative architecture. I like this trend and I do think it is indicative of maturity in the general thinking of the general Chinese population. Chinese has a rich history of Buddhism and was the home to its later development of Zen or Chan Buddhism that was later transplanted to Korea and Japan. I hope China reconnects with its history especially in the area of spirituality and eventually export it to the world.
Wow!!! This Buddhist shrine is amazing!! It’s design is so modern and have the nature feel. I feel calm and peaceful looking at the pictures of the building. Any meditators seeking place to meditate shouls visit this Buddhist shrine. Rejoice and good job to Arch Studio.
With folded palms,
Vivian
Reading this, it brings to mind the vastness of Buddha’s teachings in which the means to the teachings embodies fluidity to cater to different mindsets yet the core fundamentals are unambiguous and steadfastly certain. Not only is this temple a hallmark of creative and refreshing integration of Buddhist philosophy, it is also undeniably a breathtakingly beautiful place conducive for meditation and spiritual practice which is harmonious with its environment.
Despite this, it still invokes different sentiments. Some absolutely love it, some less thrilled with the departure from deemed “conventional” idea of temple, some would like their preference to be included and so on. In fact, such differing views are not only limited to structures but even spiritual practice itself. A clear example would be in Dorje Shugden controversy where some Buddhists feel it is absolutely necessary to condemn another’s faith. Of course, everyone is entitled to their own views, it is inevitable as we are all shaped by different life experiences.
The point is to respect people’s religious belief and there is no need to degrade or abuse them regardless of your own personal interpretation of their belief. It is always possible to “agree to disagree” or retain your personal views without the need to insist that people subscribe to your view. After all, the even the nature of Buddha’s teaching is not meant to be tied down in one manner or method.
Thank you for such an eye-opening sharing.
Interesting to see a Buddha shrine in a modern zen setting, with lots of space and minimalistic fittings and furniture. Having an architecture that uniquely combines man-made structure with nature is artistic, to say the least. I am sure it will look even better if there are more Buddha statues! 🙂
Thank you for this sharing.
Beautiful architecture blended with mother nature concept.
As mentioned good for meditation and contemplation.
I love this place.
Thank you Tsem Rinpoche for sharing
Really amazing architecture! This is really extraordinary. Something which is beyond my imagination and truly beautiful . Thank you very much Rinpoche and blog team for this cool article???
Interesting architecture. I would presume that being partially buried, the temperature within the building would be more comfortable throughout the various seasons without too big a variance. love the beautiful views from the various windows. Very zen like. Big difference from the traditional architecture that tend to make the building very cold in the winter.
Looks like a very calm and cozy space for reflection and contemplation.
A shrine, by the river ,half-buried, represents the harmonious blending of man, nature and the divine(Buddha) in an eternal flow. A most suitable place for meditation and contemplation , where architecture,design , texture and material ,blending with nature show the unity and harmony of man, nature, Buddha in symbiosis.Sky lights and large windows and the pinewood framework with natural light coming in and opening to views of trees, river and sky that stretch limitlessly .Courtyards and open space ,with trees and bamboo that break the monotony of closed buildings and walls. Buildings and nature – a balance and a blending.
Architectural perfection, reminds me during history how the tombs were built in China which incorporates natural ventilation for preservation of their emperors.
However this shrine which harmonise with nature is perfect for meditation and contemplation which benefits the living and not the dead. Makes more sense to use the Chinese ingenuity of architecture.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this perfect shrine.
Fantastic architecture design of such a shrine which is located in the outskirts of Tangshan China.The Buddhist shrine ia a beautiful place for meditation built partially buried underground to minimize site disruption and is surrounded by nature.From what i saw from those pictures show us a very spacious environment ,such a beautiful Buddhist shrine indeed blend in with the landscape in China .
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this article of such a beautiful shrine.