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To raise public awareness of protecting Buddhist temples, this study considers Hebei Province of China as an example, and explores the value of architectural planning and design of Buddhist temples. After 11 Buddhist temples in Hebei Province of China are selected, the paper adopts a Delphi method and questionnaire survey method, establishes the value evaluation system from four dimensions: historical value, artistic value, scientific value, and sociocultural value; and calculates the value of the Buddhist temples’ architectural planning and design according to expert rating. Research results indicate the following. Puning Temple, Jinhe Temple, and ShiEn Temple rank at the top because they are complete extant ancient buildings and have beautiful architectural styles. Chongguang Temple and other Buddhist temples have low comprehensive score because they are severely damaged and other reasons. The comparative study indicates that Buddhist temples at different historical periods have different architectural heritage values, and different influencing factors exert different effects on the architectural heritage value. The study establishes an evaluation indicator system, studies the value of Buddhist temples’ architectural planning and design, and achieves certain innovative research perspective. The evaluation of the value of Buddhist temples’ architectural planning and design can help the public gain a better understanding of the value of temple architectural culture. This understanding benefits the preservation of the temple building heritage.

This study aims to compare the local climate characteristics of Angkor Wat, Borobudur and Prambanan parks and determine effective strategies for mitigating thermal conditions that could suit Borobudur and Angkor Wat.

The study employed local climate zone (LCZ) indicators and ten-year historical climate data to identify similarities and differences in local climate characteristics. Satellite imagery processing was used to create maps of LCZ indicators. Meanwhile, microclimate models were used to analyze sky view factors and wind permeability.

The study found that the three tropical large-scale archaeological parks have low albedo, a medium vegetation index and high impervious surface index. However, various morphological characteristics, aerodynamic properties and differences in temple stone area and altitude enlarge the air temperature range.

Based on the similarities and differences in local climate, the study formulated mitigation strategies to preserve the sustainability of ancient temples and reduce visitors' heat stress.

The local climate characterization of tropical archaeological parks adds to the number of LCZs. Knowledge of the local climate characteristics of tropical archaeological parks can be the basis for improving thermal conditions.

Bali tourism faces a great threat from the pandemic issue. COVID-19 causes a sharp decline of domestic and international tourist arrivals since many countries issued travel bans. All tourism sites in Bali are closed for tourists during the pandemic as ordered by the governing law. The research investigates the solution planned and applied by the cultural tourism destination managements during and post pandemic and understands how cultural tourism in Bali adapts the new norm tourismscape from the locals' and tourists' perspectives. The research uses qualitative method wherein the data were collected in two Hindu temples in Bali namely Goa Lawah and Tirta Empul, where tourists regularly gaze at authentic cultural tourist attractions through field observations, face-to-face interviews with tourism sites managers and tourists who purposely selected to ensure they understand the case. The data were triangulated by comparing and contrasting the informant's viewpoints to understand the case. The research finds that tourism site managements have applied the international health procedures prepared by management through intensive workshops and trainings to develop their competencies dealing with tourists during and post pandemic. This research claims that collaborative managements involving temple management, pecalang, police and soldiers have been dynamically adapted in mitigating the risks of COVID-19 outbreaks within the temple sites during the pandemic which distinct from the mainstream managements.

Among others in South Vietnam, the Temple of Literature in Vinh Long is the only one that has preserved its original form and layout. As such in 1991, the temple was recognized by the Ministry of Culture as a national-level historical and cultural relic. Nevertheless, the temple has been neither studied nor documented to any great depth. Only a few historical descriptions for local tour guidebooks and photo catalogs exist. Therefore this paper aims to initially record heritage values, spatial characteristics and the process of major changes, while documenting the current state of the temple structure and carrying out on-site inspections to survey the buildings.

This paper outlines the collection of survey data through field survey and provides an overview of the existing significant heritage factors of the Temple of Literature in Vinh Long by comparative examination in relation to other surviving temples and analyzing its unique spatial characteristics and indigenous cultural decorations in detail.

Although the layout of the temples was influenced by the Chinese Confucius's principles and the notion of Feng Shui, it is evident from the study that the design of the temple has many architectural elements that reveal Vietnam's unique culture and local features. In particular, the Temple of Literature in Vinh Long was a symbol of feudal education, symbolizing sacred traditional values in the field of education for the people of Vinh Long province. Stone steles recorded names of all contributors related to the construction and restoration of the temple with sincere gratitude. Moreover, many of the decorative motifs contain many indigenous cultural and artistic values of Vietnam, reflecting traditional Vietnamese beliefs and ethnographic features.

By comparatively analyzing the temple with others, it reveals the unique spatial features, layouts, changes and evolutions of the temple. Unlike the oldest and the largest Temple of Literature in Hanoi, the temples in the South are much smaller in terms of complex sizes and the number of buildings. They are mostly composed of a singular structure, the Attained Talent House, with some basic gates and water features interwoven within the landscape of the site. Based on the elementary layout, some subsidiary buildings were added according to the needs and site conditions, and in accordance with the bilateral axis.

The awareness and preservation of the architectural features of the local temple are needed to protect heritage monuments and to enhance cultural resources as part of securing Vietnamese ideology for a longer period of time. While the interest in historic preservation and conservation activities of heritage buildings in Vietnam has slowly grown in attention over the last decade, it is evident that many opportunities remain. It is hoped that this research is a small step toward further research, education and advocacy in the preservation of historic buildings in Vietnam.

The introduction of Chinese Confucian thought to Vietnam was one of the most substantial influences in Vietnamese intellectual history. Despite being an important part of the nation's architectural, cultural and intellectual heritage sites, the study and documentation of the Temples of Literature have been relatively neglected or marginalized. Accordingly, this study is significant to reveal not only the values and unique heritage characteristics of the temple, but also to prioritize resources for continued study and preservation.

This article investigates social history in Hong Kong and compares their community transformation with two Tin Hau temples in Hong Kong, namely the Sai Kung Tin Hau and Hip Tin Temple and Shaukiwan Tin Hau Old Temple.

The paper is conducts a historical comparison to evaluate the vitality of traditional regions in Hong Kong with particular attention to the extent and intensity of its religious practice.

The paper fills a gap in the literature by comprehensively investigating Chinese temple related societies and communities. Most previous studies of Chinese temples and their rituals have treated them in isolation from their political contexts, emphasizing topics such as iconography over details of temple communities and their relationships with other elements of the social structure.

The research works from the point of view how the religious situation reflects important social characteristics and transformation of Shaukiwan and Sai Kung which were contemporary urban communities.

Urban heritage management is motivated by the alarming rise in destruction of historic buildings; the implementation of pointless urbanization plans and uncontrolled commercial development threatening to overwhelm our historic built heritage. Hence, there is an immediate need for urban heritage planning in historic towns, especially in India where urban growth is rampant. The purpose of this paper is to examine how development in the historic temple town of Kumbakonam can be managed by using a holistic approach that preserves the town’s historic flavor, sacred traditions and built heritage.

The historic center of Kumbakonam has been surveyed and is the focus of this study. Utilizing a case study methodology, the authors made multiple field visits to document the special heritage character of the town, conducted interviews with people living in the study area and evaluated the existing policies and guidelines for development of Tamil Nadu in view of the holistic approach.

The study reinforced the belief that the historic temple town of Kumbakonam has significant urban heritage worthy of preservation. However, due to chaotic and ill-planned urban development, changing land use, intrusion of contemporary architectural styles, commercialization and the lack of strong policy guidelines for holistic management, the special heritage character of the town is threatened with continued destruction.

This research on Kumbakonam can help urban planners to develop viable heritage management programs for other historic temple towns of Tamil Nadu. The authors describe and evaluate some guidelines for retaining the social and cultural flavor as well as the built heritage of towns like Kumbakonam by taking a holistic approach.

Up to now, there has been no attempt to come up with comprehensive management guidelines for integrating the unique urban heritage characteristics of the historic temple towns of Tamil Nadu in plans for urbanization.

Studies of Tianhou-Mazu cult have been focused on three themes: studies in Taiwan emphasize hegemonic order; studies in Hong Kong reveal a relationship of “sisterhood” alliances; and studies in Singapore highlight the important role of ethnic groups. The rebuilding of the goddess’s ancestral temple in early 1980s and her acquiring a world intangible cultural heritage status in the early twenty-first century facilitate the redefinition of overseas Chinese’s religious affiliation. The purpose of this paper is to discuss this global development of the cult from the 1980s and its ritual implication in overseas Chinese communities.

This paper, by comparing the Tianhou-Mazu cult in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Southeast Asian Chinese settlements, argues that from sisters to descended replicas, or from local alliances to global hegemony, the cult of Tianhou-Mazu since the 1980s has not only replaced local culture with an emphasis on “high culture,” but also represents a religious strategy regarding local people’s interpretation of correctness and authority.

This paper argues that despite the imposition of hegemonic power from various authorities, popular religion is a matter of choice. This reflects how local religious practice is construed according to the interpretation of global cultural languages by the elite Chinese; their decision of when and how to reconnect with the goddess’s ancestral temple or the “imperial state,” or to form alliances with other local communities; and the implementation of the local government’s cultural policy.

This paper is one of the few attempts comparing development of a folk cult in various communities.

This paper aims at illustrating how the local and the decentralized temple management bodies were made governable and governed through law.

This paper examines the implementation of Chinese Temples Ordinances (the Ordinance) and the activities of the Chinese Temples Committee (the Committee) in Hong Kong during colonial times by analyzing official archival records from 1920s to 1970s.

This paper delineates how the local and decentralized temple management bodies were made governable under the Ordinance. The Ordinance and the Committee translated Chinese temples into financial resources for Chinese charity activities managed by the elite merchant class. Chinese temples were also sometimes translated as obstacles for land development. Though there existed different representations of Chinese temples in practices, the Committee and related officials provided legal reasons under the same legal framework suggested by the Ordinance.

This paper suggests that folk religion as a research topic is not only relevant to studies of religious doctrine, belief and ritual performances. A study of the history of temple management bodies is also highly relevant to the study of colonial governance in Hong Kong. It adds value to the discussion on the trajectory of the development of local communities.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate educational functions of the World Heritage Site by examining the case of cultural tourism in a Japanese Buddhist temple.

Japan accepted the World Heritage Convention in 1992. “Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara” were decided to be listed on the World Cultural Heritage in 1998. It was composed of buildings, monuments and related cultural landscape, including five Buddhist temples and one Shinto shrine. Among them, the Gango-ji, focused in this paper, is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Japan.

It has been keeping many cultural properties related to the folk religious practice and providing many activities for the local community. The material culture of folk-belief is now preserved in a building in the temple yard. And there is an exhibition room. The main hall and the exhibition room are the important facilities for social education, where the visitors can watch and touch the real materials. According to the staffs of the temple, the tourists had better stay in the main hall after 1 h study at the exhibition room.

Heritage is a process of the contemporary people engaging in the usage of past as resources. The buildings as the tangible heritage used by the present community are combined with the actions as the intangible heritage of the people who preserve the heritage. The temporal tourists are also permitted to enjoy the process as participants. They can learn many things through their experiences at the heritage site.

This paper examines the relationship between traditional timber frame structure and the diasporic identity of the Southern Fujianese Chinese community in West Malaysia. It analyses the cultural semiotics of Southern Fujianese traditional Chinese temple timber frame structure architectural language. This study addresses the under-examined domain of Chinese cultural identity representation through the architecture of traditional Chinese temples in Malaysia. It seeks to understand its underlying structure and process involved in revealing its disposition within the cultural phenomena from the perspective of Chinese cultural semiotics.

Selected Southern Fujianese traditional Chinese temples in West Malaysia built between the 18th to the 19th century that retain the traditional timber frame structure were investigated through field survey and focused publication review. Historical interpretive analysis and typological analysis supplement the cultural semiotics analysis to assess the timber frame structure attributes concerning architectural language expressions.

Findings reveal that the architectural language signifiers of the structural disposition of the timber framework and its corresponding formal articulation establish a clear statement of the Southern Fujian Chinese cultural identity.

The evaluation of the cultural identity signifiers helps to understand the underlying structure and process of the Chinese cultural semiotics in architecture. Results of this research substantiate the significance of timber frame structure in preserving the architectural heritage of the Southern Fujianese traditional Chinese temples. They provide important references for conservation and cultural studies of such building typology.