The Evolution of the Clustered Lotus Incarnation in the Yungang Grottoes

Hangsong Li

doi:10.54691/qajmv919

Authors

Hangsong Li

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54691/qajmv919

Keywords:

Yungang Grottoes; clustered lotus incarnation; image evolution.

Abstract

This paper takes the clustered lotus incarnation images in the Yungang Grottoes as the research object, and explores their formal features, stylistic origins, and evolutionary process. It first clarifies the religious connotation of lotus incarnation as a symbol of rebirth in the Pure Land, aiming to illustrate that Pure Land themes appearing at Yungang before the sixth century do not necessarily fully conform to relevant Buddhist scriptures. On this basis, the paper focuses on analyzing the differences between the clustered lotus incarnation motifs in Yungang Cave 10 and Cave 5. The imagery of Cave 10 bears strong stylistic elements of the Western Regions and Gandhara, and was probably influenced by the sculptural traditions of Khotan and other regions, as well as the standardized iconographic system established under the supervision of Wang Yu. By contrast, the lotus incarnations in Cave 5 exhibit the sculptural characteristics of the elegant slender style (Xiugu Qingxiang), and are likely supplementary carvings shaped jointly by the agglomeration of cultural strength in Pingcheng, the artistic fashion of the Longmen area after the capital moved to Luoyang, and the decorative style of lotus incarnation tile ends from above ground temples such as Yongning Temple. Through a comparative study of related imagery from Yungang, the Siyan Stupa at Longcheng, Yongning Temple in Luoyang, and Guyang Cave at Longmen, this article seeks to reveal the developmental trajectory of this iconographic motif.

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References

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[6] Ibid, p.82.

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[22] Ibid [5], p.139-144.

[23] Ibid [5], p.213.