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Abstract
This paper focuses on the architecture of a church. The introductory chapter is to make a brief sketch of the origin of the church:its development, meaning,and original structure. Noah's story from the Bible connects the ark and the church buildings in a theological sense. The deep influence of monasticism in the growth of Christianity-the development of its system and the characteristics of its architecture- will be mutually related. Anchorites obey the monastic vows: poverty, chastity, and obedience. Inspired by God, they enter earthly world to help others, deliver good news, and make up their minds to become loyal servants of God.
The second chapter introduces the Bethlehem Mission Society. Inheriting the spirit of medieval monasticism, it reached the eastern part of Taiwan for helping the poor and the weak, establishing many social service institutions among which is Kung-Tung Technical Vocational Senior High School. Kung-Tung has been giving local students a technical hand to make living. Kung-Tung church’s simple form, different from others, is deemed as a paradigm of Modernism in Taiwan. Its layout and brutal outlooks comes from the prevailing thought of a contemporary master：Le Corbusier.
Third chapter describes the construction of the old buildings of Kung-Tung. Besides its plain and stern appearance, the location of the buildings coordinates with human worship of the nature from very beginning. The orientation of the buildings is the same as the axis of the laid stone coffins in prehistoric Pumarh Culture. This not only reflects the existential/theological meaning of coffin and salvation but also gives this campus a sense of Christian Paradise. The third chapter gives further description of the relationship between St. Gall Plan, the model of a monastery, the special feature of Citeaux Order, and the buildings of Kung-Tung. The intentions of the façade, the opening, and the metaphor convey the mystery of Christianity. The unique construction is a harmony of materials and visions.
The fourth chapter discusses the ship image of the church which derived from the Bible. Noah's story, once again proves the origin of the church comes from the construction of the Ark in theological sense. Furthermore, our analysis
on its religious core plan/ space proves its reflections of the life journey of Jesus Christ and "Civitas Dei". Its lighting reflects the beauty of materials and creates the idea of Christ's eternal light successfully. The new meaning of Citeaux is represented here.
The fifth chapter is a conclusion of the setting of natural worship, the spirit of monasticism, and the rich theological meaning. Building material and lighting reflects the essence of Jesus Christ and the atmosphere of the Holy Spirit. Its vocabularies of transplant, graft, and rebirth are put into practice. The uniqueness of St. Joseph, comparing with other churches in Taiwan whose imitation of the western motif and decoration, gives a new modern meaning. It reveals the image of Christianity in simple and plain style and is definitely an outstanding church building.
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