《说文》记载，“龛”在古时并没有后来的含义，汉扬雄著《方言》四称：“龛，受也。”即容纳、盛受之意。佛教传入中国后，龛又指掘凿岩崖为室，安置佛像，即供龛。在中国云岗、龙门、敦煌等石窟中均能见到。此后，又出现了将石、木或其他材料做成橱子形小阁供奉佛像，但大都是与佛堂建筑同期进行，尺寸上有一定规范的较大佛龛。而在故宫中，独立于建筑主体之外，可随时拆迁并与佛像有多种组合关系的小型供龛，则在数量、样式和艺术特征上远远超过了传统的佛龛。
Shuowen recorded that "niche" had no later meaning in ancient times. Han Yangxiong's "dialect" four words: "niche, accept also." That is to say, acceptance. After the introduction of Buddhism into China, niches also refer to excavating rock cliffs as rooms and placing Buddha statues, that is, for niches. It can be seen in Yungang, Longmen and Dunhuang Grottoes in China. Since then, small cabinets made of stone, wood or other materials have appeared to worship Buddha statues, but most of them are carried out at the same time with Buddhist hall buildings, and there are large Buddhist niches with certain specifications in size. In the Forbidden City, apart from the main body of the building, small shrines that can be demolished at any time and have multiple combinations with Buddhist statues are far more numerous, stylistic and artistic than traditional shrines.
乾隆时期，承做供龛的事项主要记录在《活计档》的“金玉作”、“匣裱作”、“油木作”、“广木作”、“珐琅作”及“如意馆”等档案中。尽管雍正时期档案中已有大量制龛活动的记载，但现存实务并不多见。目前，故宫中珍存的供龛多属乾隆时所作，样式和装饰内容融汇满、蒙、汉、藏宗教和生活中众多艺术元素。据乾隆年间档案的记载可知，宫中佛龛制作遵循着传统的审定方式。
During the Qianlong period, the works of offering niches were mainly recorded in the archives of "Jinyu Works", "Box-mounted Works", "Oilwood Works", "Guangmu Works", "Enamel Works" and "Ruyi Museum". Although there are many records of niche-making activities in Yongzheng archives, the current practice is rare. At present, most of the niches in the Palace Museum are made in the Qianlong period, and their styles and decorations blend with many artistic elements of religion and life in Mongolia, Han and Tibet. According to the records of Qianlong Archives, the production of Buddhist niches in the palace follows the traditional way of approval.