| |
| Central and Western group, Caves 5-45 | |
|---|---|
Buddhism in ChinaInitially, Buddhist doctrines and temple art in China were based closely on prototypes brought from India, either via a northern overland route through Central Asia or by a southern sea route. As Buddhism was absorbed into Chinese life, it deeply affected Chinese cultural and philosophical values. At the same time, the religion itself was altered by indigenous Chinese traditions. For example, Indian encouragement of individual salvation through celibate monastic life was tempered in China by Confucian stress on family cohesion and ancestor worship.Styles in Chinese Buddhist art cycled between borrowing from foreign traditions and promotion of native aesthetics. Periodically, waves of influence from India, Central Asia, and Tibet were absorbed and transformed, resulting in a sophisticated interplay of elements. Sensuous modeling of human forms was a foreign-derived feature that was tempered by the traditional Chinese preference for linear expression and flowing, rhythmic lines. The aloof grace and lean proportions of a Sui dynasty (581-618) Buddha image, whose robe features softly modeled folds that hint at the anatomical form beneath, exemplifies one type of synthesis of Chinese and Indian sensibilities. The Bodhisattva of Compassion ( Guanyin, in Chinese) illustrated on the next page reveals an even more overt reliance on Indian tradition in its sensuously modeled form. While the Buddhist pantheon in China and India was largely the same, some deities took on new forms in China while others had no foreign prototypes. For example, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, who was always portrayed as a male in India, gradually took on feminine attributes in China until a completely female incarnation of the deity prevailed. As Buddhism took root in China, it became a major cultural force that inspired some of China's most brilliant paintings and sculptures. |