ABSTRACT
Understanding changes over time in the spatial distribution of diverse religious institutions, whether done as a local study or as a national study, faces certain problems. Foremost amongst these is the inconsistency of the historical records found in local gazetteers. For some areas we have extensive records, but other areas limit themselves to state-recognized sites. Second is the relative lack of geographical specificity in giving the locations of institutions. Third is the frequent absence of dates and uncertainty about historical continuity. Using geospatial analysis to investigate a 15th-century record of religious sites from one prefecture, Jinhua 金華, in southeastern China, this chapter explores ways of deriving larger significances from the data as it is given in the historical record.
