Measurement of acoustic characteristics in a traditional Korean Buddhist temple complex

Traditional Korean Buddhist Temple complexes, typically found in rural, mountainous settings, hold great cultural, historical, and architectural significance in the Republic of Korea. These buildings, constructed primarily of wood, with little or no mechanical fasteners, create unique acoustic environments used for chanting, spoken word, music, and quiet meditation. Within the temple complex there are multiple halls and shrines of varying size and geometry that are utilized for worship. This presentation documents the room acoustic characteristics of a variety of worship spaces within a prototypical traditional Korean Buddhist Temple complex. These spaces include the main Buddha Hall as well as surrounding halls dedicated to additional Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Using a laptop based measurement system; field measurements were conducted to document reverberation time (RT), clarity (C-50), speech transmission index (STI), and background noise levels. Data gathered is discussed and analyzed in regards to the primary use of each space. This research was conducted utilizing BISA Research Grant funds provided by Keimyung University.