A cultural geographic perspective on the site selection of Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in mountainous regions of China

Abstract

The site selection of Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in ancient China was determined by a comprehensive evaluation of multiple factors, and numerous studies have demonstrated that religious culture and geography play major roles; however, this information is primarily derived from qualitative research or case studies. In this paper, based on the locations of 1307 Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in mountainous regions of China, we quantified 11 cultural and geographical factors and applied clustering and principal component analysis to explore the factors influencing site selection. The results indicate that Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in mountainous regions of China can be classified into 3 clusters based on the determinants of their site selection, which correspond to the 3 primary functional uses of monasteries, and they showed distinct site selection considerations of geographical factors. Cluster 1 demonstrates adaptive alignment with plateau topography, with aspect, slope and altitude as primary factors, cluster 2 prioritizes accessibility for lay worshippers, prioritizing proximity to water sources, transportation networks and settlements, cluster 3 emphasizes spiritual isolation for monastic purification, predominantly influenced by sunlight priority in the morning. Unlike earlier research, this study revealed the influence of religious culture on the site selection of Tibetan Buddhist monasteries are not statistically significant. These results serve as a new reference for the study of Tibetan Buddhist monastery site selection.

Keywords

Tibetan Buddhist monasteries / Site selection / Mountainous regions / Cultural geographic perspective

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