Shrine

A general term for Taoist temples, shrines, Buddhist temples, etc. Dong Yue Temple, Cheng Huang Temple, Guandi Temple, Niang Niang Temple, and Lu Zu Temple are Taoist, while Di Temple, Dragon King Temple, Cai Shen Temple, and Hu Xian Temple are small temples that belong to folk beliefs. Temples are also commonly called miao, but Tibetan Buddhist (Lamaist) temples are often called Lama Temples, except for the Yonghe Palace in Beijing. Confucianism also has the Wen Miao and Confucius Miao, which worship Confucius. Furthermore, the ancestors of a dynasty are worshiped in the Sobyo, also called Taibyo. By extension, the imperial court itself is also called a miao hall. A shrine that enshrines the ancestors of a family is called a family temple. However, it usually refers to a Taoist temple or a divine shrine, and because of its connection with the general public, a festival is held for a certain period of time on the birthday of the deity enshrined there. The opening of the temple is called a kaimyo, and the festival is called a miao-e, and merchants come out and set up a temple market inside and outside the temple. The festivals of famous temples in various places, such as Niangniangmiao, were opportunities for faith, trade, and entertainment for the common people, but as faith declined, they were no longer held, and many of the temples themselves, except for special religious sites, have been abandoned.

[Sawada Mizuho]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

道観（道教の寺院）をはじめ、神祠(しんし)、仏寺などの汎称(はんしょう)。東岳廟、城隍(じょうこう)廟、関帝(かんてい)廟、娘娘(ニャンニャン)廟、呂祖(ろそ)廟などは道教系であるが、土地廟、竜王廟、財神廟、胡仙(こせん)廟などは民間信仰に属する小規模なものが多い。寺院も俗には廟とよばれることがあるが、とくにチベット仏教（ラマ教）寺院は北京(ペキン)の雍和(ようわ)宮を除けば多く喇嘛(らま)廟とよばれる。儒教でも孔子を祀(まつ)る文廟(ぶんびょう)、夫子廟がある。さらに一王朝の祖霊を祀るのは宗廟(そうびょう)で、太廟(たいびょう)ともいう。転じて朝廷そのものをも廟堂という。一家一族の祖霊を祀る祠堂(しどう)は家廟という。しかし通常は道観および神祠をさし、一般民衆との縁から、そこに祀られる神の誕辰(たんしん)（聖誕日）には一定期間の祭礼が催され、その開帳を開廟、縁日を廟会(びょうえ)とよんで、廟の内外には商人が出て廟市が立つ。各地の著名な廟、たとえば娘娘廟の祭礼などは、庶民の信仰と交易と遊楽の機会となっていたが、信仰の衰退につれて開かれなくなり、廟そのものも特別な宗教遺跡を除いて多くは廃絶した。

［澤田瑞穂］

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