Food and Monastic Space: From Routine Dining to Sacred Worship—Comparative Review of Han Buddhist and Cistercian Monasteries Using Guoqing Si and Poblet Monastery as Detailed Case Studies

Monastic dining rituals and food regulations shape the spatial organization, layout, and sanctity of monastic sites. This comparative study of Guoqing Si (Han Buddhist) and Poblet Monastery (Cistercian) reveals how food taboos, self-sufficiency, and labor practices influence the distinction between sacred and secular spaces. Both monasteries developed sustainable agri-food systems, integrating food production, waste management, and water utilization into their routines. The research employs anthropology and architectural analysis to demonstrate that ordinary meals occur in extraordinary dining spaces, transforming daily rituals into acts of worship. Food taboos, rooted in religious concepts of purity, further establish a distinct spatial order, ensuring sustainable and sacred monastic environments.

Wang, W. (2024). Food and Monastic Space: From Routine Dining to Sacred Worship—Comparative Review of Han Buddhist and Cistercian Monasteries Using Guoqing Si and Poblet Monastery as Detailed Case Studies. Religions, 15(2), 217. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15020217