Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 1
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 1
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 2
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 2
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 3
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 3
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 4
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 4
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 5
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 5
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 6
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 6
Mogao Caves
Book manuscript found in Mogao. Mogao Caves 7
Mogao Caves
Book manuscript found in Mogao. Mogao Caves 7
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 8
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 8
Mogao Caves
Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes. Lotus Sutra Universal Door disguised Figure. Five Dynasties period, Inscription Tianfu four years (939 years) Ink and color on silk. National Museum. This painting six arms Guanyin sitting on a lotus pedestal in front of the stage stood for. The hands holding the sun and the moon on the move, the symbol of the sun and moon have their own three-legged birds and trees. India 's central argument knot hands, his hands were hanging below the number of beads and garland. All hands are wrapped around the dark green tink. Performance on both sides of the Goddess of Mercy Relief believer in hard Yuzhu six difficult. Each scene is necessary to insert the appropriate background, such as scenes of men pushed down from the cliff, the following is a prisoner stood beside irons sitting in front of the jail scene, background depicting rock. Mogao Caves 9
Mogao Caves
Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes. Lotus Sutra Universal Door disguised Figure. Five Dynasties period, Inscription Tianfu four years (939 years) Ink and color on silk. National Museum. This painting six arms Guanyin sitting on a lotus pedestal in front of the stage stood for. The hands holding the sun and the moon on the move, the symbol of the sun and moon have their own three-legged birds and trees. India 's central argument knot hands, his hands were hanging below the number of beads and garland. All hands are wrapped around the dark green tink. Performance on both sides of the Goddess of Mercy Relief believer in hard Yuzhu six difficult. Each scene is necessary to insert the appropriate background, such as scenes of men pushed down from the cliff, the following is a prisoner stood beside irons sitting in front of the jail scene, background depicting rock. Mogao Caves 9
Mogao Caves
Interior of one of the Mogao Caves, Dunhuang. Mogao Caves 10
Mogao Caves
Interior of one of the Mogao Caves, Dunhuang. Mogao Caves 10
Mogao Caves
Detail of mural commemorating the victory of General Zhang Yichao over the Tibetans. Cave 156, Late Tang Dynasty. Mogao Caves 11
Mogao Caves
Detail of mural commemorating the victory of General Zhang Yichao over the Tibetans. Cave 156, Late Tang Dynasty. Mogao Caves 11
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 12
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 12
Mogao Caves
A general view of one of the lager, early caves. Typically a central pillar carrying clay sculptures occupies the center. The raw walls have been covered with a clay-straw and stucco mixture, which was then painted al fresco with mineral colors suspended in water. Throughout the state of preservation of the vivid, totally un-Chinese colors is excellent. Red, blue, and turquoise dominate like in other Central Asian frescoes. Central Chinese influence except in the Tang (618-907) is minimal. There have been very few recent restaurations. Buddha Maitreya and Attendants, Cave 248, Northern Wei Dynasty, around 470 AD. Mogao Caves 13
Mogao Caves
A general view of one of the lager, early caves. Typically a central pillar carrying clay sculptures occupies the center. The raw walls have been covered with a clay-straw and stucco mixture, which was then painted al fresco with mineral colors suspended in water. Throughout the state of preservation of the vivid, totally un-Chinese colors is excellent. Red, blue, and turquoise dominate like in other Central Asian frescoes. Central Chinese influence except in the Tang (618-907) is minimal. There have been very few recent restaurations. Buddha Maitreya and Attendants, Cave 248, Northern Wei Dynasty, around 470 AD. Mogao Caves 13
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 14
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 14
Mogao Caves
An early depiction of Buddha's Paranirvana — the historical Buddha's death The distress of his disciples who at later times assume grotesk expressions — highly un-Chinese! — is accomplished by very effective, mininmal, abstract means. Cave 428, Nothern Zou, around 560 AD. Mogao Caves 15
Mogao Caves
An early depiction of Buddha's Paranirvana — the historical Buddha's death The distress of his disciples who at later times assume grotesk expressions — highly un-Chinese! — is accomplished by very effective, mininmal, abstract means. Cave 428, Nothern Zou, around 560 AD. Mogao Caves 15
Mogao Caves
Another Buddha Gautama preaching the Dharma two generations later. Notable are the donors at the bottom, another feature of Central Asian painting. Cave 249, Western Wei, around 550 AD. Mogao Caves 16
Mogao Caves
Another Buddha Gautama preaching the Dharma two generations later. Notable are the donors at the bottom, another feature of Central Asian painting. Cave 249, Western Wei, around 550 AD. Mogao Caves 16
Mogao Caves
The Buddha restores the eysight of a five robbers to see the truth of the Dharma. A Jataka story — a teaching tale from the Buddha's life. During the Western Wei new colors appear (the lapis-blue!) and a fluid narrative style. Cave 285, Western Wei, 535 AD. Mogao Caves 17
Mogao Caves
The Buddha restores the eysight of a five robbers to see the truth of the Dharma. A Jataka story — a teaching tale from the Buddha's life. During the Western Wei new colors appear (the lapis-blue!) and a fluid narrative style. Cave 285, Western Wei, 535 AD. Mogao Caves 17
Mogao Caves
The following three images are examples of the apogee of early painting at Duhuang. Caves 249 and 404 show an exhilarating explosion of colors and psychodelic forms. The entire cave space is swirling and the colors could be perceived as intense and saturated as shown here — if the paintings were properly illuminated and freed from dust. I believe that these are the ecstatic visions seen in intense meditation. It is not possible to give a clear interpretation of the iconography especially of the ceiling of Cave 249 above. Cave 249, part of ceiling, Western Wei, around 550 AD. Mogao Caves 18
Mogao Caves
The following three images are examples of the apogee of early painting at Duhuang. Caves 249 and 404 show an exhilarating explosion of colors and psychodelic forms. The entire cave space is swirling and the colors could be perceived as intense and saturated as shown here — if the paintings were properly illuminated and freed from dust. I believe that these are the ecstatic visions seen in intense meditation. It is not possible to give a clear interpretation of the iconography especially of the ceiling of Cave 249 above. Cave 249, part of ceiling, Western Wei, around 550 AD. Mogao Caves 18
Mogao Caves
A Bodhisattva in Cave 404, 40-years later. Here a direct Indian influence is evident, although the colors are stronger than, e.g., in the earlier Ajanta frescoes. Cave 404, Sui, around 590 AD. Mogao Caves 19
Mogao Caves
A Bodhisattva in Cave 404, 40-years later. Here a direct Indian influence is evident, although the colors are stronger than, e.g., in the earlier Ajanta frescoes. Cave 404, Sui, around 590 AD. Mogao Caves 19
Mogao Caves
An Apsara — a female heavenly messenger also called Dakini or fei-tian in Chinese— floats on rivers of intense colors. Also from Cave 404, Sui, around 590 AD. Mogao Caves 20
Mogao Caves
An Apsara — a female heavenly messenger also called Dakini or fei-tian in Chinese— floats on rivers of intense colors. Also from Cave 404, Sui, around 590 AD. Mogao Caves 20
Mogao Caves
Apsaras and Boddhisattvas on the ceiling of an early Tang cave. The Indian influence and emotional ecstasy lasted into the 7th century as did the strong, Central Asian colors, before they were extinguished by the influence of a more muted, monochrome Chinese sensibility. Cave 321, Early Tang, 7th century. Mogao Caves 21
Mogao Caves
Apsaras and Boddhisattvas on the ceiling of an early Tang cave. The Indian influence and emotional ecstasy lasted into the 7th century as did the strong, Central Asian colors, before they were extinguished by the influence of a more muted, monochrome Chinese sensibility. Cave 321, Early Tang, 7th century. Mogao Caves 21
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 22
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 22
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 23
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 23
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 24
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 24
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 25
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 25
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 26
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 26
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 27
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 27
Mogao Caves
Dunhuang Akshobhya Buddha. Dunhuang Akshobhya. Mogao Caves 28
Mogao Caves
Dunhuang Akshobhya Buddha. Dunhuang Akshobhya. Mogao Caves 28
Mogao Caves
Caission, Cave 329 at Mogao Grottoes. Mogao Caves 29
Mogao Caves
Caission, Cave 329 at Mogao Grottoes. Mogao Caves 29
Mogao Caves
Thousand-hand Bodhisattva. Mogao Caves 30
Mogao Caves
Thousand-hand Bodhisattva. Mogao Caves 30
Mogao Caves
Dunhuang Cave Hunting. Mogao Caves 31
Mogao Caves
Dunhuang Cave Hunting. Mogao Caves 31
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 32
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 32
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 33
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 33
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 34
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 34
Mogao Caves
A portion of a large mural painting from the rear wall of Cave 61 at the Mogao Caves, Dunhuang, China (c. tenth century CE). The mural depicts the area around the sacred Mount Wutai in northern China, including Buddhist monasteries, stupas, and temples. Mogao Caves 35
Mogao Caves
A portion of a large mural painting from the rear wall of Cave 61 at the Mogao Caves, Dunhuang, China (c. tenth century CE). The mural depicts the area around the sacred Mount Wutai in northern China, including Buddhist monasteries, stupas, and temples. Mogao Caves 35
Mogao Caves
Flying Apsarasa. An Apsara is a female spirit of the clouds and waters in Hindu and Buddhist mythology. Apsaras are often depicted as flying figures in the mural paintings and sculptures of Buddhist cave sites in China such as in the Mogao Caves. Mogao Caves 36
Mogao Caves
Flying Apsarasa. An Apsara is a female spirit of the clouds and waters in Hindu and Buddhist mythology. Apsaras are often depicted as flying figures in the mural paintings and sculptures of Buddhist cave sites in China such as in the Mogao Caves. Mogao Caves 36
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 37
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 37
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 38
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 38
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 39
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 39
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 40
Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves 40
Mogao Caves
The first view of the caves. The more than 500 man-made caves honeycomb a cliff bordering a desert wash. Above them shifting sand dunes stretch for miles to the distant foot hills of the Kunlun Mountans, the southern border of Chinese Tibet. Mogao Caves 41
Mogao Caves
The first view of the caves. The more than 500 man-made caves honeycomb a cliff bordering a desert wash. Above them shifting sand dunes stretch for miles to the distant foot hills of the Kunlun Mountans, the southern border of Chinese Tibet. Mogao Caves 41
Mogao Caves
Aerial view. The main temple of the complex houses a thirty-meter-high Maitreya Buddha statue while the caves are often barely big enough to shelter a single person. Mogao Caves 42
Mogao Caves
Aerial view. The main temple of the complex houses a thirty-meter-high Maitreya Buddha statue while the caves are often barely big enough to shelter a single person. Mogao Caves 42
