A Study of The Image of Heavenly King (Tianwang 天王) and Vajrapānibalin(Warriors) Found in the Dunhuang Grottoe in Tang dynasty

• Main Authors: Chen, Ying, 陳瑛
• Other Authors: Chen,Ching-Hsiang
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2009
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/44114684114344592881

碩士 === 中國文化大學 === 史學研究所 === 97 === The world famous Mogao Caves began construction in 366 A.D. Through expansions in the successive dynasties, over 1,000 caves had been completed up to the Eighth Century Tang Dynasty. In Tang Dynasty, the development of murals and sculptures came to maturity and the grandeur of the Tang style was fully manifested in the arts. The main sculptures in the caves consist of icons of the Buddha, Bodhisattvas, Buddha’s disciples, and devas, while the Vajrapānibalin (worriers) are often the frontline figures lining up in front of the caves. They serve as dharma protectors and are ranked only lower than Buddha and the Bodhisattvas, yet their lower rank allows them to be faithfully reflected as sentient beings in the true world. Among the several hundred surviving Tang caves, Vajrapānibalin in Cave No 380, 313, 322, 194, 264, 113, 45, 46, 445, 66, 319, 320, 159, 205, 231, 202, 92, 18, 12, 285, 427, 209, 384, 154, 15, 237, 196, 254, 435, 437, 257, 206 and 112 contain fine sculptures of high artistic skills, featuring dominating expressions of masculinity and highly expressive muscle structures. They represent the summit of Tang Dynasty’s artistic achievements. This thesis aims to trace the origins of the forms, themes, and styles of the sculptures in Mogao Caves and the artistic achievements they represent. The second chapter contains an analysis of the religious and artistic achievements represented by the Vajrapānibalin sculptures in Mogao Caves. The third chapter explores the origin of Vajrapānibalin in Buddhist sutras with examples of the Yaksa reliefs found in the Bharhut and Sanchi Pergolas in India. Chapter four explores the styles of Marshall Vajrapānibalin found in the tombs of Han and Wei Dynasties. Chapter five contains a comparison on the murals and sculptures found in the period between the fourth and sixth century in the Kizil Caves (Xinjiang), Gandhara (Central Asia), the Yungang Caves (Datong, China), and the Longmen Caves (Luoyang, China), including a comparison on the styles and exploration on the mutual influences and religious representations.