Culture, History, Places, Religions

What Do Japan’s Torii, China’s Paifang & Korea’s Hongsalmun Have in Common?

What’s common to the Torii of Japan, China’s Paifang and Korea’s Honsalmun? All these ceremonial gates have a shared inspiration - the toranas of the Sanchi Stupa in Madhya Pradesh. In the 1st c. BCE, the Satavahas built these magnificent gateways, inviting donors to sponsor panels on them. Their names are still inscribed on the railings around the stupa.

Image attributions

1.Itsukushima Gate, Japan

JordyMeow, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Itsukushima_Gate.jpg

2.Jade Dragon Temple Paifang, China

Wingsancora93, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chinese_style_Paifang.jpg

3.Hongsalmun, Heolleung Royal Tomb, Korea

Noh Mun Duek, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hongsalmun_(%ED%99%8D%EC%82%B4%EB%AC%B8)_of_Heolleung_Royal_Tomb_(%ED%97%8C%EB%8A%A5).jpg

4.Bodhi Tree

Neil Satyam, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bodhi_Tree_Distant_View_-_panoramio.jpg

5.Buddha’s Stupa, Vaishali, Bihar

Hideyuki KAMON, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Buddha%27s_ashes_Stupa,_Vaishali,_Bihar.jpg

6.Mango leaves garland

YVSREDDY, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mango_leaves_garland_(1).jpg

7.Hindola Torana, Madhya Pradesh

Ms Sarah Welch, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:0112521_Hindola_Torana_and_Chaukhamba_Hindu_temple_ruins,_Gyaraspur_MP_004.jpg

8.Mukteswar Temple, Bhubaneswar

Anupam Calcutta, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:D35_Mukteswar_WK_-_Mukteswar_Temple_Bhubaneswar.jpg

9.Warangal fort, Andhra Pradesh

By Skorthiw at English Wikipedia – Original source: Santosh Korthiwada https://www.flickr.com/photos/santu/15445288/ [dead link], Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4275617

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Warangal_fort.jpg

10.Nau toran temple, Madhya Pradesh

Ms Sarah Welch, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:0111321_Nau_toran_temple,_Navatorana_mandir,_Khor_Madhya_Pradesh_011.jpg

11.Torana at Lodurva jain temple

Shakti, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lodurva_jain_temple_torana.jpg

12.Plan of Sanchi Stupa

Rohini, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Plan_of_Stupa_at_Sanchi_-_2.JPG

13.Buddhist Stupa at Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh

Bhajish Bharathan, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Buddhist_Stupa_at_Sanchi_in_Madhya_Pradesh.jpg

14.Buddhist Expansion Map

Gunawan Kartapranata, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Buddhist_Expansion.svg

15.Paifang, China

Windmemories, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:20220212_Stone_paifang_on_South_Street_04.jpg

16.Torii, Japan

https://pixabay.com/photos/torii-sea-japan-shrine-lake-biwa-3841388/

Tags: Madhya Pradesh, Sanchi Stupa, Satavahana, Torana

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