gejin　外陣

KEY WORD :　architecture / general terms

1　In shrine architecture, the main hall *honden 本殿, is divided into two parts. First is the *naijin 内陣 or naiden 内殿, the innermost part, which contains the god's spirit. Second is the gejin or geden 外殿, the foremost part, where the sacred food is offered and ritual prayers are said. Neither the honden nor the gejin are open to ordinary worshippers. 2　In temple architecture, the worship hall or area accessible to individuals or an assembly of believers, wishing to pray within the main hall *hondou 本堂, in front of and adjacent to the inner sanctuary *naijin 内陣, of a temple. It materialized in the Heian period with the introduction of the new esoteric sects, Shingon 真言 and Tendai 天台 to Japan. In temples of these sects these two areas are separated from each other by latticed sliding screens. The floor is usually made of wood but may be covered with straw mats *tatami 畳, or be a hard-packed earthen floor.

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*raidou 礼堂

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