Page 62 - JCAU-6-4

Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism Cultural heritage in monastic settlements

4. Distribution of cultural heritage for supplying drinking water and irrigation for monks and
residents; woodland for providing timber and firewood for
The distribution of cultural heritage is closely linked to the construction; stone for making millstones and building
surrounding environment, having initially formed to meet houses; and land for constructing houses and cultivating
the basic needs of temples. Over centuries, the development fields. These natural conditions are critical for survival,
of cultural heritage has also reflected the political and which are scientific and reasonable, and illustrate that
religious integration of the regions in which these temples temple site selection not only follows religious teachings
are situated. Due to variations in the natural environment, but also must be adapted to local conditions. Balancing
historical changes, and other factors, the cultural heritage
of temple communities has evolved differently from religious, environmental, and practical needs will ensure
one temple to another (He & Zhou, 2008). By exploring the greatest possible support for the formation of the
how these variations influence the formation of cultural cultural heritage.
heritage in different environments, we can further analyze 5. Landscape pattern analysis
the environmental factors necessary for the establishment
of temple communities. 5.1. Type-level analysis of monastic settlement
The construction of a temple marks the beginning 5.1.1. Landscape pattern characteristics of Baiyu
of the formation of cultural heritage, with the goal of temple: Temple-city type
selecting an ideal site that supports the temple’s long- Baiyu Temple, as a typical temple-city-type settlement,
term development. Observing the environment plays a exhibits distinct landscape pattern characteristics (see
key role in ensuring that the formation of the heritage is relevant indices in Table 1). The total analyzed area
rational and sustainable. Before a temple community is covers 3,674.25 ha, with 920 landscape patches identified
established, site selection is particularly important. First, (Figure 2). Woodland landscapes occupy 35% of this area,
the site is selected based on prophecy, where the guidance while construction land accounts for 2.08%. The ratio of
of respected religious figures helps identify a suitable woodland to construction land reflects Baiyu Temple’s
location. This process fosters legitimacy in the eyes of characteristics as a temple-city-type settlement.
the community, bolsters confidence, and lays a strong
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foundation for the formation of the cultural heritage. Regarding the AI, the order is AI > AI > AI > AI f
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Second, this site was selected with the intention of forming > AI > AI > AI > AI . This finding indicates that the
a temple of a certain scale, forming a differentiated temple degree of aggregation is highest in the woodland and
community based on the temple’s functions. Deliberately religious landscapes, reflecting the temple’s reliance on
choosing a site shaped like a lotus blossom creates an the surrounding mountains and forests as a cohesive core.
iconic cultural landscape. This not only serves as a physical The religious land is concentrated, and large-scale town
realization of the prophecy but also strengthens the wisdom landscapes have developed around the temple. Due to the
behind the chosen location. Although these aspects of the functional attributes of the temple city, cultivated land is
environment may be abstract, they are a vital precondition minimal and largely embedded within the water landscape.
for transforming cultural heritage into a tangible form. The arable land landscape, due to the temple city’s
They are also essential for expanding the cultural heritage functional needs, is limited and primarily integrated with
on a large scale. watershed and grassland landscapes. These landscapes
After selecting the abstract humanistic environment, rely on natural resources to meet production demands
the process of transforming the cultural heritage of the and support the local population’s survival. In terms of
monastic settlement from abstract to concrete must follow. dispersion and juxtaposition indices, the religious and
The establishment of a monastic settlement is inseparable arable landscapes are only loosely connected to smaller
from the natural environment, and certain natural resource patch types, maintaining a certain degree of independence.
conditions are required. Typically, monasteries are sought In contrast, the woodland and watershed landscapes serve
in locations “surrounded by mountains and water, facing as connective elements that unify the entire monastic
the sun, and shielded from the wind.” The worship of settlement.
mountains is deeply ingrained in Tibetan tradition,
making mountain ranges highly significant in monastery 5.1.2. Landscape pattern characteristics of Dzongsar
site selection and providing a strong foundation for the temple: Temple-town type
community’s development. The basic natural conditions Dzongsar Temple, as a representative monastery of the
required for a temple community to form cultural heritage temple-town type, exhibits distinct landscape pattern
are summarized as follows: grassland for grazing; water characteristics (Table 2). The total analyzed area covers

Volume 6 Issue 4 (2024) 4 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.2503