Our approach to architectural evidence
Part Riddle Garden is an independent guide for culturally curious readers. We treat temples, shrines and palaces as places with histories and communities, not as puzzles to be solved.
Three labels we use
Supported by period sources
Inscriptions, building manuals, dated records, living ritual practice and measured surveys. Example: the 20-year rebuilding cycle at Ise Jingu.
Scholarly uncertainty
Published arguments that specialists still contest, such as cosmological measurements at Angkor Wat.
Modern pattern-spotting
Analogies and overlays, from fractals to golden rectangles, that lack period evidence.
How we research
We begin with a visible detail and its exact position on a building. We then check the site's construction and restoration history, the relevant texts or inscriptions, and peer-reviewed scholarship. Where possible we rely on UNESCO nomination files, national heritage agency publications and established translations of primary sources.
Respect for living sites
Most places we write about are active places of worship. We avoid language that makes them exotic or "mysterious" for effect, and we encourage readers to follow dress codes, photography rules and the guidance of caretakers and worshippers.
Corrections and independence
We correct errors openly and date each change. We are not affiliated with any heritage authority, temple, tourism board or government body, and we accept no payment for coverage. Send corrections to [email protected] or use our detail form.
Who we are
Part Riddle Garden is published by Part Riddle Garden Media Pte. Ltd. in Singapore by a small editorial team with backgrounds in architectural history, heritage photography and museum education.