The Iconography of Architectural Plans : A Study of the Influence of Buddhism and Hinduism on Plans of South and Southeast Asia

Contents: Preface. Introduction—architectural iconography. The basis of form. Philosophic and theological foundations. Numerology. Astrology/astronomy. Additional iconic concerns. The Mandala: 1. Magic squares Mandalas. 2. Vastu-purusha Mandala. 3. Manduka Mandala. 4. Paramasayika Mandala. 5. Manduka Mandala, circular. 6. Vajrayana Mandala. 7. Vajradhatu Mandala. 8. Stupa, symbolism and numerology. 9. Gyantse Kumbum, gyantse, Tibet. 10. Garbh-Griha plan. 11. Ancillary shrine plan. 12. Temple plan. Notes. India and Sri Lanka: 1. Stupa, I, Sanchi, India. 2. Thuparama Dagoba, Sri Lanka. 3. Ruvanveli Dagoba, Sri Lanka. 4. Chaitya hall, Karli, India. 5. Buddhist cave-monastery #2, Ajanta, India. 6. Ladh Khan, Aihole, India. 7. Durga temple, Aihole, India. 8. Shiva temple, Indor, India. 9. Subrahmanya temple, Manjeri, India. 10. Kilatali Shiva temple, Thiruvanchikula, India. 11. Vatadage, Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka. 12. Tivanka pilimage (Lankatilaka), Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka. 13. Brahmeshvara temple, Bhuvaneshvar, India. 14. Keshava temple, Somnathpur, India. 15. Garden Pvilion, Kotilal Fort, Delhi, India. Notes. Java (Indonesia): 1. Borobudur, Java. 2. Chandi Lumbung, Prambananm, Java. 3. Chandi Sewu, Prambananm, Java. 4. Loro Jonggrang, Prambananm, Java. 5. Chandi Sari, Prambananm, Java. 6. Chandi Djago, Malang, Java. 7. Chandi Panataran Sanctuary, Kediri, Java. Notes. Khmer (Kambuja): 1. Preah Ko, Roluos. 2. Bakong, Roluos. 3. Bakheng (Mount Ensemble), Angkor. 4. Ta Keo shrine, Angkor. 5. Phimai Prasat, Thailand. 6. Banteay Samre temple, Angkor. 7. Baphuon, Angkor. 8. Angkor Wat, Angkor. 9. Bayon, Angkor Thom, Angkor. Notes. Pagan (Myanmar Burma): 1. Nat-Hlaung-Kyaung, Pagan. 2. Nan-Hpaya, Pagan. 3. Myin-Pya-Gu, Pagan. 4. Shwe-Zigon Pagoda, Pagan. 5. Naga-Yon, Pagan. 6. Ananda temple, Pagan. 7. That-Byin-Ngu, Pagan. 8. Dhamma-Yan-Gyi, Pagan. 9. Gawdaw-Palin, Pagan. 10. Myinkaba Kubyauk-Nge, Pagan. 11. Bogyoke-Mi Kubyauk, Pagan. 12. Dhamma-Yazika, Pagan. 14. Mingala-zeidi, Pagan. 15. Pentagonal temple (Pancha-Buddhas) (near Mingalazedi Stupa), Pagan. 16. Paya-Thon-Zu, Pagan. Notes. Lanna Tai, Sukhothai, Ayutthaya and Rattanakosin (Thailand): 1. Chedi Wat Kukut, Lamphun. 2. Chedi Wat Chang Lom, Si Satchanalai. 3. Wat Phra Chao Phanan Choeng, Ayutthaya. 4. Wat Mahathat, Sukhothai. 5. Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat, Ayutthaya. 6. Wat Phra Ram, Ayutthaya. 7. Wat Ratchaburana, Ayutthaya. 8. Wat Chedi Chet Yot, Chiang Mai. 9. Wat Phra Si Sanphet, Ayutthaya. 10. Chedi Wat Phukhao Thong, Ayutthaya. 11. Wat Chai Watthanaram, Ayutthaya. 12. Wat Phra Chetuphon, Bangkok. 13. Lohaprasad, Wat Theptidaram, Bangkok. Notes. Champa (Viet Nam): 1. Pho-hai Shrine, Phan-thiet. 2. Khuong-my Shrine, n. Hoi-an. 3. Dong-Duong monastery. Notes. Postscriptus: Malaysia: 1. Masjid Terengkera, Malacca. 2. Masjid Kampung Laut, Kelantan. 3. Masjid Kampung Kling, Malacca. 4. Masjid Kampung Hulu, Malacca. Notes. Conclusions. Bibliography. Appendices: Miscellaneous related plans, elevations and sections: 1. Dharmarajaratha, Mahaballipuram, India; Preah Thkol, Angkor, Kambuja. 2. Thupurama Dagoba, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. 3. Ruvanveliseya Dagoba, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. 4. Maha-Vihara Dharmapala, Paharpar, India. 5. Parvati temple, Nachna, India. 6. Shiva temple, Bhumara, India. 7. Vijayalaya-colisvara temple, Narittamalai, India. 8. Shiva temple, Masaon, India. 9. Shiva temple, Chandrehe, India. 10. Maha-Lingaraja Mandir, Bhuvaneshvar, India. 11. Kandariya Mahadeo, Khajuraho, India. 12. Kandariya Mahadeo, Khajuraho, India. 13. Temple of the sixty-four Yoginis, Bheraghat, India. 14. Tomb of Humayun, Delhi, India. 15. One room, Three Alcove temple, Java. 16. Chendebji Stupa, Bhutan. 17. Chendebji Stupa, Bhutan. 18. Tibetan Chorten. 19. Chandi Kalasan, Java. 20. Loro Jonggrang, Chandi Perwara, Java. 21. Loro Jonggrang, Chandi Brahma, Java. 22. Chandi Sewu, Prambanan, Java. 23. Chandi Sari, Prambanan, Java. 24. Chandi Sari, Prambanan, Java. 25. Chandi Plaosan Lor, Prambanan, Java. 26. Chandi Plaosan Lor, Prambanan, Java. 27. Chandi Kidal, Malang, Java Chandi. 28. Djago, Malang, Java. 29. Preah Ko, Roluos, Kambuja. 30. Plan, Roluos (Hariharalaya), Kambuja. 31. Ta Keo, Angkor, Kambuja. 32. Ta Keo mount, Angkor, Kambuja. 33. Wat Ek, Battambang, Kambuja. 34. Banteay Srei, Angkor, Kambuja. 35. Angkor Wat, Angkor, Kambuja. 36. Neak Pean, Angkor, Kambuja. 37. Plan. Angkor, Kambuja. 38. Bayon, Angkor, Kambuja. 39. Cross axial and axial plans, Myanmar. 40. Ananda, (Pagan, Myanmar). 41. Ananda, Pagan, Myanmar. 42. Ananda, Pagan, Myanmar. 43. That-Byin-Nyu, pagan, Myanmar. 44. That-Byin-Nyu, Pagan, Myanmar. 45. Dhamma-Yan-Gyi, Pagan, Myanmar. 46. Gawdaw-Palin, Pagan, Myanmar. 47. Gawdaw-Palin, Pagan, Myanmar. 48. Dhamma-Yazika, Pagan, Myanmar. 49. Dhamma-Yazika, Pagan, Myanmar. 50. Mingala-zeidi, Pagan, Myanmar. 51. Somin-Gyi Ok-Kyaung, Pagan, Myanmar. 52. Pentagonal temple, Pagan, Myanmar. 53. Wat Kaew, Chaiya, Thailand. 54. Chedi Si Liem, Chiang Mai, Thailand. 55. Wat Phra Phai Luang, Sukhothai, Thailand. 56. Wat Mahathat, Sukhothai, Thailand. 57. Chedis, Thailand. 58. Prang, Wat Phra Ram, Ayutthaya, Thailand. 59. Mahabodhi, Pagan, Myanmar. 60. Chedi Chet Yot, Chiang Mai, Thailand. 61. Chedi Si Suriyothai, Wat Suan Luang Sop Sawan, Ayutthaya, Thailand. 62. Elevation, subsidiary stucco chedi, Wat Khian, Ayutthaya. 63. Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok, Thailand. 64. Wat Suthat, Bangkok, Thailand. 65. Typical Ubosots/Viharn Plans, Thailand. 66. Plan, Wat Arun Rajtharam, Thonburi, Thailand. 67. Prang, Wat Arun Rajtharam, Thonburi, Thailand. 68. Wat Benchamabophit, Bangkok, Thailand. 69. Lohaprasad, Wat Ratchanatdaram, Bangkok, Thailand. 70. Temple A-1, Mi Son, Vietnam. 71. Temple A-1, Mi son, Vietnam. 72. Po Nagar, Nha Trang, Vietnam. 73. Masjid Tarenquerah, Malacca, Malaysia. 74. Masjid Kampung Laut, Terengganu, Malaysia. 75. Masjid Kampung Hulu, Malacca, Malaysia. 76. Rumah Tiang Enam (Rumah Ibu or Rumah Bujang), Malaysia. 77. Malacca-style House, Malaysia. Glossary Index.

"Over the rolling centuries, Buddhism and Hinduism, two of the world’s oldest sustained faiths, came to evolve a complex, yet precisely defining, iconic language: not just for figural representations, but for the architectural plans of their temples and monuments as well—a language that allows interpretations of geometric proportions. Here is the first ever effort to brilliantly unravel the iconic idiom involved in the architectural plans of Buddhist and Hindu temples and monuments of India and the "Indianized" States of Southeast Asia.

With his indepth surveys of diverse ‘Buddhic’ and ‘Hindic’ temples in India, Sri Lanka, Java (Indonesia), Kambuja, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and even Malaysia, the author shows how the basic element in their architecture: the Plan—conceived within a cosmological framework—was fraught with iconographic import and input, necessitating the guidance of authoritative compendia, like the Manasara and the Mayamata, the arcane knowledge of the sthapati, (priest-architect), and many other complex procedures which all were steeped in symbolism. In analysing the architectural plans of these temples, Professor Bunce also highlights the various related iconographic considerations, like orientation, basic geometric forms, construction methods, rules and ratios, the non-congregational necessity, the high place as a consideration as well as the cave—besides a number of viable "influences" which exert various amounts of control, e.g., textual, philosophic/theologic, numerological, astrological/astronomical, ‘regionality’ and, most importantly, the mandala.

Generously supported by visual material comprising as many as 400 figures and line-drawings, Professor Bunce’s book is veritably a monumental, off-beat exercise of enormous interest to iconographers as well as the historians/specialists of South and Southeast Asian temple architecture." (jacket)