The Silk Route.ppt

The Silk Route Buddhist Caves Mural Painting Northern Wei and Tang Dynasties Northern Wei (Toba): 386-535 Sui: 581-618 Tang: 618-907 Buddhism Mahayana Buddhism: Western Paradise (Pure Land paradise) spread from India around the 5th century, Esoteric Buddhism (Tang-7th) and Ch’an Buddhism (Song-10th) Important images are Amida Buddha (Amitabha) who resides in the Western paradise, Maitreya Buddha (Future Buddha) and Gyanyin (bodhisattva of Compassion) Amida Gyanyin (became more feminine from 1279) Maitreya: laughing pot-bellied Buddha in China Yangang Caves 50 caves at Yangang began around 460-490 (Capital moved to Luoyang) (contemporary with Ajanta caves in India); located in Shanxi. Cave 20 was is one of the oldest caves, dedicated by the Toba Wei rulers. The Buddha seated in mediation (fifteen meters) Dun Huang caves Buddhist caves situated on the Silk Route; it is an important stopping between the N and S tracks of the Tarim Basin. They were carved out of natural soft gravel cliffs; approximately a thousand caves but only half of them survived. Many were decorated with wall paintings; the themes mainly focus in the Western Paradise of Amitabha Buddha. Avalokitesvara (Chinese: Gyanyin) became highly popular Avalokistesvara and Gyanyin Bodhisattva of Compassion He was regarded as the guide of souls and one who bring the blessing of many children Reside in the Western paradise of Amithaba In Chinese art, he is depicted as a male bodhisattva, like those of India, until around the end of the 12th C (early part of Song Dynasty) He gradually transform into a male figure with some female qualities such as the body, the face, and the hands By the 17th century (Ming period), the male form was replaced with more feminine form Lotus sutra Gyunyin images became feminized; represented as a middle-aged fair lady in a white robe. The transformation marked the Sinification of Avalokistesvara by the Chinese who believed in the Lotus Sutra, which gives Ava the ability to assu