Danish architect Johannes Prip-Møller (1889-1943) is a highly acclaimed architect of the mid-20th century. He played a pioneering role in Western scholars' research on Chinese Buddhist temple architecture. Prip-Møller graduated from Columbia University in 1921 and soon after embarked on a journey to China. During the period from 1922 to 1926, Prip-Møller designed and constructed a diverse range of buildings, including hospitals, churches, schools, as well as hostels for the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) and majestic royal temples, commissioned by missionary groups and Chinese officials.
One of Prip-Møller's most notable works is Chinese Buddhist Monasteries: Their Plan and Its Function as a Setting for Buddhist Monastic Life. which initially appeared in 1937 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Subsequently, it was reprinted by the Hong Kong University Press in 1967 and 1982. Despite its completion in the 1930s, the book's systematic and comprehensive exploration of Chinese Buddhist temple architecture remains unparalleled even today. Prip-Møller approached his research from a unique perspective, viewing Buddhist temples as living organisms with intricate organs. He believed that the current state of temples, including their layout and functional structures, had deep roots in ancient traditions and was passed down through the continuity of contemporary temple life. His study focused on meticulous observations of present-day temples and drew upon historical literature to uncover the developmental journey of Buddhist temples as vessels of religious life.
Notably, Prip-Møller also held the position of chief designer for the Tao Fong Shan architectural ensemble in Hong Kong. In 1928, he accepted an invitation from the founder of Tao Fong Shan, Karl Ludvig Reichelt (1877-1952), and embarked on designing and constructing Christian buildings with a distinct Chinese Buddhist style for Tao Fong Shan from 1930 to 1938. Prip-Møller left precious original architectural drawings in Tao Fong Shan. Tao Fong Shan has since become a renowned historical landmark in Hong Kong and an internationally acclaimed centre for religious studies.
To ensure the optimal preservation of Prip-Møller's original architectural design plans associated with Tao Fong Shan, the owners of the collection, Areopagos from Norway and Tao Fong Shan Foundation, have agreed to transfer these significant heritage to the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Library by the recommendation of Tao Fong Shan History Committee. The Library will undertake their professional preservation and management and digitize the architectural drawings and have them uploaded onto the Library’s Digital Repository for open access. Additionally, Areopagos and Tao Fong Shan Foundation in collaboration with the CUHK School of Architecture have established a collaborative framework for researching projects that delve into Prip-Møller's architectural contributions. The collection of drawings can be categorized into 11 groups, as follows:
| Name of Group | No. of Drawings | |
| 1. | Tao Fong Shan Christian Centre Architectural Drawings | 99 |
| 2. | Residences for Two Families | 2 |
| 3. | Construction and Technical Drawings | 11 |
| 4. | Portico South Elevation, Bell Tower, School Building | 8 |
| 5. | Tao Fong Shan Christian Institute Residence | 2 |
| 6. | Tao Fong Shan Christian Institute Foreign House | 2 |
| 7. | Tao Fong Shan Proposed Layout Plan of Buildings | 7 |
| 8. | Drawing 5-9 Little Adams | 8 |
| 9. | Leveling of Site & Survey Plan | 10 |
| 10. | Tao Fong Shan Non-Historical Buildings | 16 |
| 11. | Others | 13 |
| Total | 178 |
The collection also includes over 350 glass plate photos of Buddhist monasteries and activities across China taken by Johannes Prip-Møller. Many of them are not included in the Prip-Møller's book Chinese Buddhist Monasteries. The photos are precious for studying Chinese Buddhist architecture as well as the architecture philosophy of Prip-Møller.
Tao Fong Shan Foundation
and
Institute of Sino-Christian Studies
