宗教関連施設
Traditionally, the term "synagogue" is used to describe all Jewish houses of worship. For purposes of game clarity, Civilization IV uses the term to describe only the larger and more imposing structures; smaller religious structures are called "Jewish temples."
Temples are places of prayer and study. Worshipers attend services on the "Shabbat" (or Sabbath), the day of rest which begins at sundown on Friday and ends at nightfall on Saturday. Jewish temples are often the center of Jewish life in a community, and may serve as schools, meeting places, libraries, and so forth.
Throughout the ages monasteries have often been centers of learning. In remote areas the monks may be the only literate people for miles around. Monks have often been employed as scribes, copying out the words of their religion's sacred scripture. Monasteries frequently have extensive libraries, holding religious, scientific, medical and philosophical texts.
Though Judaism does not possess monasteries in the traditional sense, it does have Talmudic Academies, centers of learning where Rabbis discuss and debate the "Talmud," a record of rabbinical writings on Jewish law, ethics and custom. Aside from the Bible, the Talmud is the sole authority on many aspects of Jewish life and religious practice. Based upon earlier Jewish oral tradition, the Talmud was first put to paper in the second century, AD. It has been added to, debated and studied ever since.
Traditionally, the term "synagogue" is used to describe all Jewish houses of worship. For purposes of game clarity, Civilization IV uses the term to describe only the larger and more imposing structures; smaller religious structures are called "Jewish temples."
A Jewish synagogue is a place both of worship and of study. Worship and prayer take place in the main room. The prayer may be led by a "rabbi" (teacher), but it is not necessary, and many synagogues do not have a rabbi in attendance. Many of the most beautiful synagogues in the world are found in Eastern Europe. Unfortunately, many of the local worshipers were killed during the Holocaust, and most survivors fled to Israel, leaving these holy buildings sadly unattended.
The Temple consisted of three main rooms surrounded by smaller chambers. Upon climbing a set of stairs, the visitor would enter the vestibule, which was topped with two enormous pillars given the names of Jachin and Boaz. From there the visitor would proceed into the "Greater House" or "Holy Place," wherein important religious services were performed. Beyond the Greater House lay the "Holy of Holies," a square, cedar-lined room which held the "Ark of the Covenant." The Ark of the Covenant was a sacred container which held the stone tablets upon which were written the Ten Commandments, given by God to Moses. The building was surrounded by a courtyard in which the people worshipped.
The Temple was pillaged many times over the years, and it was finally looted and burned to the ground by King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon some time around 580 BC, during the time of the "Babylonian Captivity." Years later, many of the Temple's treasures were returned to the Jews by King Cyrus of Persia, but the Ark was missing. Some believe that the Ark was removed and hidden before the Babylonian attack, while others believe that the Ark was captured by Babylon and then destroyed or lost. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church claims to possess the Ark, it having been brought there by one of Solomon's sons. In any case, the destruction of the Temple was total, and there is much controversy and debate about where it originally stood.
The "Second Temple" was constructed in Jerusalem in approximately 500 BC. It in turn was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. All that remains of this building is the "Western Wall," also known as the "Wailing Wall."
Facing Roman persecution, the earliest Christians worshiped in secret in private homes, catacombs, and the like. The Emperor Constantine I legalized Christianity in 325 AD. Though not a Christian himself as is often mistakenly claimed, Constantine I built many Christian churches across Roman territory, including the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, which many Christians believe is on the site where Jesus was born.
Throughout the ages monasteries have often been centers of learning. In remote areas the monks may be the only literate people for miles around. Monks have often been employed as scribes, copying out the words of their religion's sacred scripture. Monasteries frequently have extensive libraries, holding religious, scientific, medical and philosophical texts.
The first recorded Christian monastery was founded by Saint Anthony in Egypt around 300 AD. The idea spread throughout the Christian world, and eventually Christian monasteries could be found across North Africa, the Middle East, Western Asia, and Europe. The Roman Catholic Church has dozens of monastic orders, including the Benedictine, Franciscan, Jesuit, Carmelite, Trappist, Augustinian, and Knights Templar.
Christian cathedrals are considered among the most beautiful buildings in the world. Many of the most imposing were built during the Middle Ages. Lofty buildings with beautiful stained glass, the early Christian cathedrals tended to collapse suddenly, with unfortunate results for those inside, until the invention of the flying buttress.
Externally, the Church represents more a fortress than it does a house of worship. It is surrounded by a thick stone wall with few windows or entrances. The Church is laid out in the typical Roman basilica design, with three aisles leading to a semicircular apse containing the altar. The main room once featured walls covered with golden mosaics, but is now somewhat fallen into decay. Beneath the Basilica lies the "Grotto of the Nativity," an underground cave covering the place where Jesus is said to have been born. The exact spot of Jesus' birth is marked by a silver star and surrounded by silver lamps.
The compound containing the church is approximately 14,000 square yards in size. In addition to the Basilica, it contains a number of other important religious sites and three convents.
Since its inception, Christianity has fragmented into a number of distinct sects. For many years these different groups have fought for control of the Church, and much blood has been shed on the sacred grounds. In recent years it has been administered by a coalition of Roman Catholic, Armenian and Greek Orthodox clerics, who in uneasy alliance make the Church available to all who wish to enter. Each year the Church is visited by thousands of Christian pilgrims.
The Church's recent history has been as turbulent as it's past. The town of Bethlehem is in the West Bank of Palestine, which is periodically under Israeli occupation, and in 2002 the Church itself was occupied by 50 Palestinian fighters seeking refuge from Israeli defense forces. Somewhat miraculously the Church itself has suffered no damage in the recent conflicts, although the turmoil has greatly diminished the number of visitors to the site, which in turn limits the money available for its upkeep.
Still, the Church remains one of Christianity's holiest of places, where God's only Son and the Savior of mankind entered the world.
The word "mandir" is used to denote all Hindu places of worship. In Civilization IV, that term is reserved for the larger and more ornate buildings; smaller mandirs are called "temples." Typically, a Hindu temple is dedicated to a primary Hindu deity and that deity's subordinates. Worshipers must maintain a certain level of ritual purity to enter a temple: they must not wear footwear; they must not smoke, eat or drink inside; their breath should not smell of garlic or onions; and they may enter only with the priest's permission.
Throughout the ages monasteries have often been centers of learning. In remote areas the monks may be the only literate people for miles around. Monks have often been employed as scribes, copying out the words of their religion's sacred scripture. Monasteries frequently have extensive libraries, holding religious, scientific, medical and philosophical texts.
Hindu monasteries have been constructed across India and Asia. Many were built in remote places, far from the ravages of war and conquest; some survive today virtually untouched by history.
A "mandir" is the name used to describe all Hindu places of worship; used here it refers only to the larger and more important temples. Typically, a mandir is dedicated to a primary Hindu deity and other deities associated with that particular god, though in the US many different gods are worshiped in each mandir. The earliest mention of a mandir appears in the fifth century BC. The Angkor Wat, a Hindu temple built in the 12th Century AD, is one of the finest surviving Hindu mandirs in the world.
According to Hindu tradition Varanasi is the home of Lord Shiva and his consort, Parvati. Known as the Destroyer, Lord Shiva is part of the "trimurti" - the three aspects of God - creation, preservation, and destruction. Shiva's consort Parvati is seen as Earth Mother, and, according to tradition, the two are the parents of all living creatures. The city is also held sacred because it is here that the Ganges River gained the power to wash away sins.
The Kashi Vishwanath is a golden temple standing at the city's center. The date of construction of the original temple is not known. It was destroyed in 1669 by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, who built a mosque atop the ruins. The present Kashi Vishwanath was built in 1776, across the street from its original location. The newer building's spire is about 50 feet in height and covered with over one ton of gold plating, donated by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The temple's interior consists of a mandapa (pillared hall) and a sanctum containing a silver altar.
According to Hindu tradition, it was here that the first jyotirlinga, the fiery pillar of light by which Shiva manifested his supremacy over other Gods, broke through the earth's crust and flared towards the heavens. The altar contains a Shivalinga (an ancient symbol of Shiva) in its center to commemorate this event. It is believed that viewing the temple can transform a worshipper's life and put him on the path of knowledge and devotion, and each year the temple is visited by tens of thousands of Hindu faithful seeking enlightment.
In common usage, the term "mosque" is used to describe any Islamic house of worship. In this game that term is reserved for the more important and impressive structures; common mosques are called "Islamic temples. There are Islamic temples across the world. Many contain towers from which the worshipers are called to perform "salah," the five daily prayers each Muslim must perform.
Throughout the ages monasteries have often been centers of learning. In remote areas the monks may be the only literate people for miles around. Monks have often been employed as scribes, copying out the words of their religion's sacred scripture. Monasteries frequently have extensive libraries, holding religious, scientific, medical and philosophical texts.
Islam has a great reverence for places of religious learning, no matter what religion. The Koran says, "Did not God check one people by means of another, there would surely have been pulled down monasteries, churches, synagogues and mosques, in which the name of God is commemorated in abundant measure."
In common usage, the term "mosque" is used to describe any Islamic house of worship. In this game that term is reserved for the more important and impressive structures; common mosques are called "Islamic temples." The first mosque built was the "Kaaba," in Mecca, which resides inside of the the Masjid al-Haram. According to tradition, the Kaaba was originally a temple constructed by the prophet Abraham and his son, Ishmael. By the Prophet Muhammad's time, the Kaaba was being used to worship many "false" gods; he destroyed the idols and rededicated the structure to Allah when he captured Mecca in 630 AD.
The Kaaba has always been revered as a holy place. Before the rise of Islam, the Kaaba was filled with idols, and Arabs from miles around came to worship there. Upon his return from exile, the Prophet Muhammad smashed the idols and rededicated the mosque to Allah and Islam. It has remained an Islamic holy place ever since and non-Muslims are forbidden to enter Mecca.
The Masjid al-Haram is the focal point of the "hajj," a religious pilgrimage to Mecca required of all able-bodied Muslims (at least according to the Sunni sect). Every year during the holy month of Dhu'l-Hijjah, upwards of three million people visit the holy city and the most holy mosque within, thus fulfilling one of the "five pillars of Islam." The mosque has been enlarged and modernized to handle the extraordinary influx of faithful, but both the city and the mosque can barely handle the traffic.
The mosque is in the form of a huge sprawling building surrounding a mighty courtyard with the Kaaba in the center. The building is extraordinarily beautiful and constructed of marble and porcelain and gold and bedecked with graceful minarets (towers). The interior is a wonder of columned halls filled with tapestries and other marvelous decorations. The courtyard itself is paved with marble. Truly a magnificent place of worship, Masjid al-Haram is said by some to surpass the Taj Mahal in glory and wonder.
Buddhist temples are places of worship, meditation and study; they can be found across the world. The oldest surviving Buddhist temples are in India, where the religion was first founded.
Throughout the ages monasteries have often been centers of learning. In remote areas the monks may be the only literate people for miles around. Monks have often been employed as scribes, copying out the words of their religion's sacred scripture. Monasteries frequently have extensive libraries, holding religious, scientific, medical and philosophical texts.
Buddhist monasteries were originally created to provide places for the wandering Buddhist monks to make their annual retreats. Some Buddhist monks stay indoors during the three-month rainy season to avoid damaging new plant growth (and to avoid being stranded during inclement weather). In the past, wealthy supporters donated plots of land where the monks could retreat; over time these have evolved into monasteries, often large and wealthy structures where monks can live year round.
Buddhist stupas are monuments holding holy relics. The first eight stupas were created to hold the Buddha's remains. During his reign, the Emperor Asoka took portions of the Buddha's ashes and spread them among the thousands of stupas he created. Stupas can now be found across Asia and the world.
The oldest surviving stupa can be found in Sanchi, India. The "Great Stupa" was constructed by Emperor Asoka some time in the third century BC.
The Emperor Asoka constructed the "Golden Throne" sometime around 250 BC, and over time many other buildings and statues were added. In the 12th century the area was overrun by Muslims, and the temple sacked and largely destroyed. In the 16th century a Hindu monastery was established, and the monastery's abbot was given control over the temple grounds.
Eventually the area came under British control. In the 1880s they began a major restoration of the temple, much against the wishes of the Hindu abbot. In the 1940s control over the site was given to the state, which manages the site with the advice of a committee containing Buddhists from the world over.
A building of remarkable beauty and grandeur, the Mahabodhi is one of the oldest surviving brick buildings in India. Standing on the ruins of an even older "stupa," the temple consists of a high central tower surrounded by four smaller towers. The central tower rises some 60 feet in height. The edifice is covered by ornate and colorful molding, pilasters (pseudo columns), and arches, many of which contain bas relief sculptures. Inside sits a very large gilded statue of the Buddha. The statue sits where, legend has it, the Buddha was sitting when he achieved enlightenment.
Near to the building stands a mighty Bodhi tree, a descendant of the one under which Buddha found enlightenment. The temple stands within an extensive complex of smaller temples, statues, and pathways running through beautiful parklands and alongside peaceful lakes. The temple and its surroundings remain a focus of Buddhist worship, and people from across the world come every year to honor the Buddha and to marvel at the beauty of the Mahabodhi.
Though Confucius himself was a philosopher rather than a religious leader, over time he was accorded the status of a god and worshipped across Asia. Many temples to Confucius were constructed, some small and private, others more extensive where hundreds of worshippers could attend services. Many Confucian temples were constructed in the pagoda style of architecture.
Throughout the ages monasteries have often been centers of learning. In remote areas the monks may be the only literate people for miles around. Monks have often been employed as scribes, copying out the words of their religion's sacred scripture. Monasteries frequently have extensive libraries, holding religious, scientific, medical and philosophical texts.
For centuries Confucianism was the state religion of China, and the Imperial Court regularly included Confucians in positions of authority and power. Thus, many Confucian monasteries were constructed under Imperial sponsorship.
Many of the early Confucian religious buildings were destroyed during the Qin Dynasty. When the Emperor Wu (156-87 BC) adopted Confucianism as the state religion of China, he placed many Confucian scholars in positions of power; eventually, knowledge of Confucianism became a prerequisite for anyone hoping to gain employment in the Imperial government. Private and public Confucian Academies sprung up across China, where families sent their sons to study for the civil service examinations.
The actual buildings that make up the Kong Miao have been torn down and rebuilt many times over the centuries. The present layout dates to the early 16th century, when the temple was rebuilt following a massive conflaguration in 1499 sparked by lightning. Since this construction took place at the same time as Beijing's Forbidden Palace, there are many design similarities between the two complexes. The Kong Miao is known not only for its size (it comprises some 466 rooms), but also for its stone sculptures and calligraphy dating back to many different dynasties. Today it is both a holy Confucian shrine and a popular tourist attraction.
Taoist temples are often attractive, brightly-colored buildings, filled with statues of divine beings. Priests may or may not be in attendance. Taoism is a ritualistic religion, and the temple is often used for ceremonies ranging from parades to exorcisms. The ceremonies themselves tend to be loud and colorful, full of chanting, singing, clashing symbols, and firecrackers.
Throughout the ages monasteries have often been centers of learning. In remote areas the monks may be the only literate people for miles around. Monks have often been employed as scribes, copying out the words of their religion's sacred scripture. Monasteries frequently have extensive libraries, holding religious, scientific, medical and philosophical texts.
Taoists began constructing monasteries during the Tang period, from 600 - 900 BC. They learned the concept of monasticism from the Buddhists, who greatly influenced Taoism during this period.
Many of the most elaborate and extensive Taoist religious buildings are pagodas - tiered towers with multiple eaves. This building style originated in Nepal and has since spread across much of Asia. Unfortunately, many great Taoist pagodas were constructed of wood - wood holds special religious significance for Taoists - and have not withstood the onslaught of time.
Taoist pagodas tend to be bright and colorful structures, with broad curving roofs that are adorned with divine figures and traditional symbols of luck such as dragons and carp. Taoism is not a selfish faith, and the pagodas may have rooms or shrines dedicated to Buddhist meditation and/or Hindu deities.
The Dai Miao is the largest temple complex on the mountain, covering an area of about a million square feet. The buildings within the temple have been built and rebuilt a number of times, the most recent major overhaul occurring about 2000 years ago during the Han Dynasty.
In its latest incarnation, the temple is a replica of the Imperial Palace. The complex has five major halls and many small buildings. The most important building is the Palace of Heavenly Blessings, constructed in 1008. The building contains a mural titled, "The God of Mount Tai Making a Journey." The mural is 10 feet in height by about 200 feet long. It was painted in 1009, making it 1004 years old.
Next to the Palace of Heavenly Blessings stand the Yaocan Pavilion and the entrance archway, as well as the Bronze Pavilion in the northeast corner. The Dai Temple is surrounded by the 2,100 year-old Han Dynasty cypresses. Beloved as much for its rugged beauty as for its religious significance, the Dai Miao remains one of the most important religious structures in the world.