chuujin　中陣

KEY WORD :　architecture / shrines

A term used in shrine architecture: a middle area between the *honden 本殿, *nainaiji 内内陣 or *naijin 内陣 and the *gejin 外陣. It is sometimes divided into three areas, the front space *haiden 拝殿, and two sanctuaries, the inner sanctuary, naijin, and the innermost sanctuary, nainaijin. Usually, there is only one inner sanctuary. But if the innermost sanctuary, nainaijin, was omitted, and the inner sanctuary replaced it, the space formerly accommodating the naijin would become a middle area, called chuujin, and had streamers, a table with eight legs and ceremonial articles. The most complex arrangement of the interior of a shrine building is the Honden at Kibitsu Jinja 吉備津神社, in Okayama prefecture, where the gejin is followed by an area with steps, ake-no-dan 朱壇, that lead to the chuujin which also contains steps leading to the naijin, behind which is the nainaijin. In this building the chuujin surrounds the two inner sanctuaries. Other examples of shrines with chuujin are Matsuo Jinja 松尾神社 in Kyoto, Kehi Jinja 気比神社 in Fukui prefecture and Nikkou Toushouguu 日光東照宮 in Tochigi prefecture.

REFERENCES:

*kibitsu-zukuri 吉備津造

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