The Buddhist portion uses the specific arrangements of Shanhua, Huayan, and Longxing as examples, without treating their layouts as general rules for Buddhist temples. Shanhua faces south. Its central axis runs through the main gate, Sansheng Hall, and Daxiong Hall in that order; the main gate is also called Tianwang Hall. Guanyin Hall and Dizang Hall stand to the sides, and the compound also contains Puxian Pavilion. Founded during the Tang Kaiyuan era, the temple was rebuilt from 1128 to 1143 under the Jin. Daxiong Hall dates to the Liao, while the main gate and Sansheng Hall date to the Jin. Longxing was founded in 586 under the Sui. Its main gate faces south, its halls follow a north–south axis, and Mani Hall dates to 1052.
Huayan Temple in Datong has an east–west axis and faces east, with the upper temple to the north and the lower temple to the south. Boqie Jiaozang Hall dates to 1038 under the Liao. Daxiong Hall was begun in 1062 under the Liao, destroyed in 1122, and rebuilt in 1140 under the Jin. At Shanhua, the main gate, Sansheng Hall, and Daxiong Hall follow the central axis; at Huayan, the upper and lower temples occupy the northern and southern portions. Their orientations also differ: Shanhua faces south, while Huayan faces east.
After the Tang, Daoist compounds commonly faced south and were symmetrical to the east and west. Main gates, central courts, halls, and rear chambers stood along a north–south central axis, with covered corridors, side rooms, gardens, and pools at the sides and rear. Their courts commonly took the form of enclosed quadrangles. Principal halls included Sanqing Hall, Yuhuang Hall, and Chongyang Hall. At Yongle Palace, the central axis runs from south to north through the main gate, Wuji Gate, Sanqing Hall, Chunyang Hall, and Chongyang Hall. Construction began in 1240, the main buildings were completed in 1260, and the compound was substantially finished in 1358. It was relocated between 1958 and 1966.
Baiyun Temple in Beijing is divided into central, eastern, and western routes and a rear garden, Yunjiyuan. The central route contains, in sequence, a screen wall, Lingxing Gate, the main gate, Lingguan Hall, Yuhuang Hall, Laolutang Hall, Qiuzu Hall, and Sanqing Pavilion with Siyu Hall. Founded in 741 under the Tang as Tianchang Temple, it was renamed Shifang Tianchang Temple in 1174 under the Jin and called Changchun Palace in 1227. Around 1656 under the Qing, Wang Changyue directed extensive repairs.
Temples is the class in the chapter on Architecture on religious building. It covers the halls and layout of Buddhist, Daoist and Tibetan temples and monasteries, and also mosques, churches and the temples of folk cults such as those of Tianhou, Guandi, the City God and the Dragon King; its layout examples are Shanhua, Huayan, Longxing, Yongle Palace and Baiyun Temple. State altars, Confucian temples and the temples of the Five Sacred Mountains belong to Imperial Architecture, lineage and guild halls to Streets & Settlements, records led by a pagoda to Pagodas & Towers, cliff temples to Cliffside Architecture, and timber joinery and brackets to Timber Building.