Complete Collection of Dunhuang Murals in China - 8th Century Tang Dynasty

Author: Guan Youhui
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-01-01
Features: Late Tang murals are a continuation and development of mid-Tang murals, with extremely rich content. They primarily depict twenty-eight types, covering almost all aspects of Tang Dynasty murals, with many main classics of various Buddhist sects illustrated. The preface provides a comprehensive discussion of the murals, while the postface captions offer detailed explanations of the content and artistry of each image. During the late Tang period, Shazhou (Dunhuang) returned to the Tang Dynasty after abandoning the Tibetan rule, breaking free from the shackles of tribal systems, and restoring agricultural production. Society became stable, and the Silk Road was open. Led by the aristocratic landlord group, a new wave of cave construction and Buddhist mural creation began at Mogao Caves. Over a span of fifty-eight years, sixty caves were constructed, including three hundred large scripture transformation murals, along with a large number of individual Buddhist and Bodhisattva murals and countless decorative patterns. This volume selects over 240 images from twenty-one of these caves, all of which are masterpieces from this period. Late Tang murals are a continuation and development of Tang Dynasty murals, with very rich content. They primarily feature twenty-eight types of scripture transformation murals, covering almost all aspects of Tang Dynasty murals, with many main classics of various Buddhist sects illustrated. The Three Sutras of Amida, Maitreya, and the Pure Land transformations of musicians are depicted in large numbers. The transformations of esoteric scriptures surpass those of previous eras, and there are three caves dedicated exclusively to the transformation of Avalokite?vara.