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Temple Architecture

Temple Architecture

Temples are special buildings where first, gods and people meet together, second, they are public spaces, and third, they imbibe a mysterious atmosphere attractive to the public.

There mainly are three architectural styles of the temples of Macao; the first is palace style, the second is landscape and the third is mono-hall style.

Many temples of Macao were set up in palace style, such as the Temple of the Brook of Lotus which were build on the large scales, the Temple of Hong Kung Chan Kuan, the Ancient Temple of Kun lam, the Temple of the North Emperor of Taipa and the Temple of Empress of Coloane, which were built on relatively small scales.

As the temples in palace style, there are four characteristics:

on large scale
plane layout, balanced symmetry;
combined type;
magnificent decoration.

Taking the Temple of Lotus and the Temple of Kun lam for examples, they were constructed with three entrance and three principal columns I central-axis structure. The tops of walls, ridge tiles, skylights and corridors were decorated with stone sculptures, brick tiles, leaky windows, frescos and ash sculptures, which were graceful, magnificent and exceptionally worthy to be appreciated.

Macao lies near Foshan, folk art centre of Lingnan of the Ming and Qing Dynasties; many of the decorations and structural components of the temples in palace style came out from skilled craftsmen of Foshan, and embodied the exceedingly symbolic folk art style and origin.

Macao is a small and narrow land, there aren’t many but only three temples in landscape style: A-Ma Temple, the Temple of Empress in Rua dos Pescadores and the Temple of Pou Tai Un of Taipa. These temples were built to suit various local conditions and their places were arranged disorderly in accordance with concrete circumstances.

In Macao there are many temples in mono-hall style, such as temple of Fok Tak and the Temple of Sam Seng (Three Divinities) of Coloane. For they are built on small scales, their outlooks are not so impressive. However, from these mono-hall temples we can see the early stage of the development of temple.

(Excertps from: Macau Temples by Chan, Lei and Chendra published by IACM SAR 2002). Back to Macau Temples

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