Arhat Hall

Arhat Hall
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	羅漢堂
Simplified Chinese	罗汉堂
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Luóhàn Táng
Alternative Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	羅漢殿
Simplified Chinese	罗汉殿
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Luóhàn Diàn
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese alphabet	La Hán Đường
Chữ Hán	羅漢堂
Korean name
Hangul	나한전
Hanja	羅漢殿
Transcriptions Revised Romanization Nahanjeon McCune–Reischauer Nahanjŏn
Japanese name
Kanji	羅漢堂
Transcriptions Romanization Rakan-dō

The Arhat Hall is a building in East Asian Buddhist temples dedicated to the veneration of the Arhats (Sanskrit: Arhat; Pali: Arahant), who are enlightened disciples of the Buddha. It serves as spaces for contemplation on the Buddha's teachings and the diverse paths to enlightenment. The life-sized statues of Arhats within these halls are renowned for their vivid, individualized expressions and poses, depicting a range of human emotions and spiritual states. They are typically named the Luohan tang in Chinese Buddhist temples, the Rakan-dō in Japanese Buddhist temples, the Nahan-jeon in Korean Buddhist temples, and La Hán Đường in Vietnamese Buddhist temples.

China

The Arhat Hall is a hall used for enshrining one or multiple Arhats, or arhat(s), in Chinese Buddhist temples.^[1] Arhat is another term for Arahant, one who has gained insight into the true nature of existence and has achieved Enlightenment and liberated from the endless cycle of rebirth.^[1] In Mahayana Buddhism, arhats rank the third position in Buddhism, only below the Buddhas and bodhisattvas.^[1] In Theravada Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama or The Buddha is the first of the arhats, while his disciples who reach the goal by following his noble path also become arahats.^[2]

The tradition of constructing Arhat Hall became prominent in China during the Five dynasties period (10th century) when the King of Wuyue commissioned 500 bronze Arhats for the Fangguang Temple on Tiantai Mountain. By 985 CE, 516 statues (including 16 Arhats and 500 Arhats) were installed in the Shouchang Temple on Tiantai Mountain.

In smaller Buddhist temples, statues of the Eighteen Arhats, the original followers of Śākyamuni, are usually enshrined within the hall.^[1] In larger Buddhist temples, the Arhat Hall typically enshrines statues of all the Five Hundred Arhats, a larger grouping which encompasses other Buddhist deities such as Hayagriva and Yamantaka who take the forms of Arhats.^[1] In addition, statues of the four main Bodhisattvas in Chinese Buddhism, namely Guanyin (Avalokiteśvara), Kṣitigarbha, Samantabhadra and Mañjuśrī are often enshrined as well, along with the Wisdom King Mahamayuri (Mahāmāyūrī).^[1][3][4]

Japan

In Japan, the Arhat Hall is devotion to the 500 Arhats became widespread during the Edo period. These halls are dedicated to the veneration of the Arhats, and the statues are admired for their intricate craftsmanship and emotional expressiveness. One of the most famous examples is the Gohyaku Rakan-ji in Tokyo's Meguro Ward. Its statues were carved by the monk Shōun Genkei between 1688 and 1704. He traveled around Edo soliciting donations to create over 536 wooden, lacquered, and gold-leafed statues, of which 305 survive today. Another notable hall is at Chikuraku-ji in Tokushima Prefecture, built in 1775.^[5] Arhat Hall at Chikuraku-ji is located behind the main hall, accessible via a stone staircase.^[5] At Gohyaku Rakan-ji, the statues are arranged in the main hall and a dedicated Arhat Hall, with the central Buddha triad surrounded by the Arhats. The Arhats at Gohyaku Rakan-ji are about 85cm tall, seated, and display a variety of expressions and postures—some meditating, others frowning, wearing hoods or head wraps—showcasing the exaggerated realism typical of Edo-period sculpture. At Chikuraku-ji, approximately 200 statues remain from the original 500, each with a unique expression.

Korea

In Korea, the worship of Arhats was integrated into Korean Buddhism, with halls dedicated to them, though the 500 Arhat tradition is less widespread than in China or Japan. While specific records of 500 Arhat Halls are scarce, the Buk Jijang-sa (북지장사, North Jijang Temple) in Daegu, founded in 485, is an example of a temple dedicated to Kṣitigarbha, who is associated with the salvation of beings in the six realms.^[6] According to legend, the temple was built after a visionary encounter with Kṣitigarbha. The statues within may depict the 500 Arhats or a smaller group, crafted with the serene and compassionate aesthetics of Korean Buddhist art.

Vietnam

In Vietnamese Buddhism, the veneration of the 500 Arhats was influenced by Chinese Buddhism, and the Arhat Hall can be found in some Vietnamese temples, often featuring a mix of Mahayana Buddhist and local spiritual elements. The Kṣitigarbha Flying Temple (地藏飛來寺, Chùa Địa Tạng Phi Lai) in Vietnam is a temple named after Kṣitigarbha, believed to have been visited by the bodhisattva. While its main hall is dedicated to Kṣitigarbha, the temple complex embraces a holistic Buddhist practice. The main hall houses a majestic and compassionate statue of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva. While the temple complex include Arhat Hall, its primary focus is on the bodhisattva.

Gallery

• 
  Arhat Hall in Hualin Temple in Guangzhou, China
• 
  Statues of Eighteen Arhats at Lingsheng Temple in Hunan, China.
• 
  Statues of Eighteen Arhats at Lingsheng Temple in Hunan, China.
• 
  Statue of Amituofo (Amitābha) riding on a peacock at the centre and the Thousand-armed Guanyin at the rear of the Five Hundred Arhat Hall of Baoguang Temple in Chengdu, Sichuan province, China

References

1. Zi Yan 2012, p. 47.
2. "Arahants, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas". Accesstoinsight.org. Retrieved 2022-09-22.
3. Wei Ran (2012-06-01). Buddhist Buildings. Beijing: China Architecture & Building Press. ISBN 9787112142880.
4. Han Xin (2006-04-01). Well-Known Temples of China. Shanghai: The Eastern Publishing Co. Ltd. ISBN 7506024772.
5. "Chikuraku-ji". Shikoku Tourism (in Chinese). 2020. Retrieved 2025-10-26.
6. "Buk Jijang-sa". DaeguTour (in Chinese). 2020. Retrieved 2025-10-26.

Bibliography

• Zi Yan (2012). "Xiantong Temple in Mount Wutai, Shanxi Province". Famous Temples in China (in English and Chinese). Hefei, Anhui: Huangshan Publishing House. ISBN 978-7-5461-3146-7.

Further reading

• Wang Guixiang (2016-06-17). 《中国汉传佛教建筑史——佛寺的建造、分布与寺院格局、建筑类型及其变迁》 [The History of Chinese Buddhist Temples] (in Chinese). Beijing: Tsinghua University Press. ISBN 9787302427056.
• Zhang Yuhuan (2014-06-01). 《图解中国佛教建筑、寺院系列》 [Illustration of Chinese Buddhist Architecture and Temples] (in Chinese). Beijing: Contemporary China Publishing House. ISBN 9787515401188.