The main religions of ancient China were Buddhism,Taoism and Islamism, of which Buddhism was the most widespread. As a result, Buddist temples and towers are found all over China, and have become important components of the country's ancient architecture.

Chinese Buddhism Architecture
Buddhism came to China from India as early as in the Han Dynasty. Right from the start, Buddhist temples and pagodas adopoted traditional Chinese architectural forms. For instance, the temples consisted of single-story structures built around one or more courtyards, often containing wooden or brick pagodas. Later, there appeared many other forms, such as the multiple-eaved design, diamong throne design and Lamaist dagobadesin.
Generally speaking, Buddhist architecture follow the imperial style. A large Buddhist monastery normally has a front hall, housing the statue of a Bodhisattva, followed by a great hall, housing the statues of the Buddhas. Accommodations for the monks and the nuns are located at the two sides. Buddhist monasteries sometimes also have pagodas, which may house the relics of the Gautama Buddha; older pagodas tend to be four-sided, while later pagodas usually have eight-sides.

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Chinese Taoist Architecture
Taoism is the only religion which originated in china. The structure of Taoist temples and shrines is typically traditional courtyard layout. Taoist architecture, on the other hand, usually follow the commoners' style. The main entrance is, however, usually at the side, out of superstition about demons which might try to enter the premise. ( feng shui.) In contrast to the Buddhists, in a Taoist temple the main deity is located at the main hall at the front, the lesser deities at the back hall and at the sides...

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Chinese Islam Architecture

Islam came to China in the seventh century or so. Its temples are called mosques, which contain no picture or statues. Disciples kneel and pray facing the holy city of Mecca. The mosques still keep the original pattern and style of those in the Middle East, making them special in Chinese religious architecture.

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Chinese Confucianism Architecture
Confucius was the founder of Confucianism in China, a philosopher, moralist, statesman and educationist, but no religionist head. The thoughts and teachings of Confucius have had a great influence on Chinese feudalist society in the political, philosophic and cultural fields. People built thousands of Confucius Temples, called Kong Miao or Wen Miao to commemorate him. Nowadays, nearly 300 of these temples have survived through the ages. Among them the Confucius Temples in Qufu, Shangdong Province and Beijing are very famous.  Confucius temples are quiet and peaceful!

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Chinese Altar  Architecture
The worship of heaven and Earth, the sun and moon, gods and spirits, and ancestors and celebrities was a principal part of the spiritual life of all ancient Chinese people, from emperors to commoners. Alters were set up to deities, and galls and shrines were built to commemorate ancestors. The special styles of such edifices are indicated by the term "altar and temple architecture." Alters at which emperors worshipped Heacen and Eathh, the temples for the worship of Confucius, found all over China, and shrines to Guan Yu, a renowned general of the Three Kingdoms period(200-265), later deified. Temples and shrines for ancestral worship include the Imperial Ancestral Temple and a host of memorial halls for the worship of the ancestors of commoners, also found all over China. There altars, temples and shrines vary in shape from place to place and between ethnic groups.

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Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism are three main religions in China. Although they have never acquired such important roles to be considered to dominate the political system in China's history as Christianity or Islam has done to some western countries. However, they do have deep influence on the development of China's politics, philosophy, art and social cultures. Chinese temples, range in size from back-alley Taoist hut to magnificent Tibetan Buddhist Drepung Monastery, the largest and richest monastery, which covers an area of over 200 thousand square meters. 

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