Editing Pyramid (section)

=== Asia ===

{{Main article|Chinese pyramids}}
[[File:Tomb of the General 1.jpg|right|thumb|Ancient Korean tomb in [[Ji'an, Jilin|Ji'an]], Northeastern China]]
[[File:Shaohao - pyramid - P1050739.JPG|thumb|[[Shaohao Tomb]], [[Qufu]], China]]
Many square [[Platform mound|flat-topped mound]] tombs in [[China]]. The first emperor [[Qin Shi Huang]] ({{Circa|221 BC}}, who unified the seven pre-imperial kingdoms) was buried under a large mound outside modern-day [[Xi'an]]. In the following centuries about a dozen more [[Han dynasty]] royal persons were also buried under [[Frustum|flat-topped pyramidal]] earthworks.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}

==== India ====
Numerous giant, [[granite]], temple pyramids were built in [[South India]] during the [[Chola Empire]], many of which remain in use. Examples include [[Brihadisvara Temple, Thanjavur|Brihadisvara Temple]] at [[Thanjavur]], [[Brihadisvara Temple, Gangaikonda Cholapuram|Brihadisvara Temple]] at [[Gangaikonda Cholapuram]], and the [[Airavatesvara Temple]] at [[Darasuram]]. However, the largest temple (area) is the [[Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple (Srirangam)|Ranganathaswamy Temple]] in [[Srirangam|Srirangam, Tamil Nadu]]. The Thanjavur temple was built by Raja Raja Chola in the 11th century. The [[Brihadisvara Temple, Thanjavur|Brihadisvara Temple]] was declared a [[World Heritage Site]] by [[UNESCO]] in 1987; the Temple of Gangaikondacholapuram and the Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram were added in 2004.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://whc.unesco.org/archive/2004/whc04-28com-inf14ae.pdf|title=EVALUATIONS OF CULTURAL PROPERTIES|website=Whc.unesco.org|access-date=5 March 2022|archive-date=3 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220303113016/https://whc.unesco.org/archive/2004/whc04-28com-inf14ae.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Big Temple-Temple.jpg|The granite [[gopuram|gopuram (tower)]] of [[Brihadeeswarar Temple]], 1010 AD.
File:Back view of Raja gopuram.jpg|The pyramidal structure above the sanctum at [[Brihadisvara Temple, Gangaikonda Cholapuram|Brihadisvara Temple]].
File:"Architecture of World Heritage Monument Airavatesvara Temple".JPG|Pyramid-structure inside [[Airavatesvara Temple]].
File:Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, dedicated to Vishnu, in Srirangam, near Tiruchirappali (24) (37254366620).jpg|[[Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam|Ranganathaswamy Temple gopurams at Srirangam]] dedicated to [[Ranganatha]], a reclining form of the [[Hindu deity]] Maha [[Vishnu]].
</gallery>

==== Indonesia ====
[[File:Borobudur-Nothwest-view.jpg|thumb|right|[[Borobudur]], [[Central Java]], Indonesia]]
[[File:Candi Sukuh 2007.JPG|thumb|[[Candi Sukuh]] in [[Java]], Indonesia]]
[[Austronesian people|Austronesian]] [[megalithic]] culture in [[Indonesia]] featured earth and stone [[step pyramid]] structures called ''punden berundak.'' These were discovered in Pangguyangan near Cisolok<ref>{{cite web | title = Pangguyangan | work = Dinas Pariwisata dan Budaya Provinsi Jawa Barat | url = http://www.disparbud.jabarprov.go.id/wisata/dest-det.php?id=878&lang=id | language = id | access-date = 2017-05-17 | archive-date = 2019-12-24 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191224184236/http://www.disparbud.jabarprov.go.id/wisata/dest-det.php?id=878&lang=id | url-status = dead }}</ref> and in Cipari near Kuningan.<ref>{{cite book | title = Hasil Pemugaran dan Temuan Benda Cagar Budaya PJP I | author1 =I.G.N. Anom | author2 = Sri Sugiyanti | author3 = Hadniwati Hasibuan | editor1 = Maulana Ibrahim | editor2 = Samidi | publisher =  Direktorat Jenderal Kebudayaan | year = 1996 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=BjXkCgAAQBAJ&q=Punden+Berundak+Cipari&pg=PA87 | page = 87 | language = id}}</ref> The stone pyramids were based on beliefs that mountains and high places were the abode for the spirit of the [[ancestors]].<ref>{{cite book | title = Sendratari mahakarya Borobudur | author = Timbul Haryono | publisher = Kepustakaan Populer Gramedia | year = 2011 | isbn = 9789799103338 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=I4hFie9yqtEC&q=Punden+Berundak+Borobudur&pg=PA14 | language = id | page = 14}}</ref>

The step pyramid is the basic design of the 8th century [[Borobudur]] Buddhist monument in [[Central Java]].<ref>{{cite book | title = Pengantar Sejarah Kebudayaan Indonesia 2 | author = R. Soekmono | publisher = Kanisius | year = 2002 | isbn = 9789794132906 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Ua_L2i3HgOIC&q=punden+berundak+borobudur&pg=PA87 | page = 87 | language = id }}{{Dead link|date=May 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> However later Java temples were influenced by Indian [[Hindu architecture]], as exemplified by the spires of [[Prambanan]] temple. In the 15th century, during late [[Majapahit]] period,  Java saw the revival of indigenous Austronesian elements as displayed by [[Candi Sukuh|Sukuh]] temple that somewhat resemble Mesoamerican pyramids, and also stepped pyramids of Mount Penanggungan.<ref>{{cite book | title = Candi Indonesia: Seri Jawa: Indonesian-English, Volume 1 dari Candi Indonesia, Indonesia. Direktorat Pelestarian Cagar Budaya dan Permuseuman, Seri Jawa | author1 = Edi Sedyawati | author2 = Hariani Santiko | author3 = Hasan Djafar | author4 = Ratnaesih Maulana | author5 = Wiwin Djuwita Sudjana Ramelan | author6 = Chaidir Ashari | publisher = Direktorat Jenderal Kebudayaan | year = 2013 | isbn = 9786021766934 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=MsLiCQAAQBAJ&q=punden+berundak+candi&pg=PA344| author1-link = Edi Sedyawati }}</ref>

==== East Asia, Southeast Asia and Central Asia ====
[[File:Dotō, Panoramic View 002.jpg|thumb|right|Dotō, Stupa of Ōno-dera Temple, [[Sakai]], [[Osaka Prefecture]], Japan]]
In east Asia, Buddhist stupas were usually represented as tall [[pagodas]]. However, some pyramidal stupas survive. One theory is that these pyramids were inspired by the [[Borobudur]] monument through [[Sumatra]]n and Javanese monks.<ref name="Sakai">{{cite web |url=http://enlight.lib.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-MISC/misc168127.pdf |title=古代における塔型建築物の伝播 ボロブドゥールと奈良頭塔の関係について |access-date=7 March 2021 |archive-date=19 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210919210146/http://enlight.lib.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-MISC/misc168127.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> A similar Buddhist monument survives in [[Vrang]], [[Tajikistan]].<ref name="Natgeo">{{cite magazine |first=Paul |last=Salopek |magazine=[[National Geographic Magazine]] |date=2 October 2017 |url=https://outofedenwalk.nationalgeographic.org:443/articles/2017-10-ruby-sellers-vrang/ |title=The Ruby Sellers of Vrang |access-date=7 March 2021 |archive-date=8 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308223953/https://www.nationalgeographic.org/projects/out-of-eden-walk/articles/2017-10-ruby-sellers-vrang/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Kumayama">{{cite magazine |first=Paul |last=Salopek |magazine=[[National Geographic Magazine]] |date=14 July 2015 |url=http://kiwarabi.html.xdomain.jp/vantokumarama.pdf |title=ブァン仏教遺跡と熊山遺跡の比較検討 |access-date=7 March 2021 |archive-date=15 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210615090607/http://kiwarabi.html.xdomain.jp/vantokumarama.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> At least nine Buddhist step pyramids survive, 4 from former [[Gyeongsang Province]] of Korea, 3 from Japan, 1 from Indonesia (Borobudur) and 1 from [[Tajikistan]].<ref name="Sakai"/><ref name="Kumayama"/>