[[Characters]] #Characters \ #Society-and-Culture \ #Deities-and-Spirits # 庙 miáo temple; imperial court ## Components [[广 (guǎng)]] [[由 yóu]] ## Meaning Today, the character "庙" primarily refers to temples used for religious purposes, including the worship of ancestors, gods, or buddhas. It also symbolizes respect and reverence for historical figures and cultural heritage. Additionally, it can represent architectural complexes or buildings dedicated to religious worship and rituals. ## History The character "庙" originated as a combination of two parts, "广" and "朝". "广" represents a house, while "朝" represents the pronunciation. Together, they signify a temple used for worshiping ancestors. Over time, the character was simplified to "庙". In ancient China, temples were dedicated to ancestral worship and had a strict ancestral temple system. Emperors built seven temples to honor their ancestors, with the principal temple for the founding ancestor at the center. Upon an emperor's death, their spirit tablet would be enshrined in the ancestral temple, and a temple name would be given to them. The Temple of Heaven in Beijing is one such example, where Ming and Qing emperors performed ancestral worship. This temple is the most complete and grand imperial ancestral temple complex in China and is known as the "Supreme Temple". However, the system dictated that ordinary people couldn't have temples after death. Still, for saints or distinguished historical figures, temples were built to express respect and admiration. For example, the Temple of Confucius, known as the "Kong Temple", is dedicated to Confucius and is located in Qufu, Shandong Province. Later, places for worshiping gods and buddhas were also called "庙", such as the City God Temple, dedicated to the guardian gods of the city, or the Mountain God Temple, dedicated to the mountain god. ## Evolution ### Oracular Script ? ### Bronze Script ![[庙 miào - bronce.svg]] ### Seal Script ![[庙 miào - sello.svg]] ### Clerical Script ![[庙 miào - clerical.svg]] ### Regular Script ![[庙 miào - regular.svg]]