Early Buddhist Art of China and Central Asia Volume Three Handbook of Oriental Studies Handbuch der Orientalistik SECTION FOUR China Edited by Stephen F. Teiser Martin Kern Timothy Brook VOLUME 12/3 Early Buddhist Art of China and Central Asia Volume Three The Western Ch’in in Kansu in the Sixteen Kingdoms Period and Inter-relationships with the Buddhist Art of Gandhāra By Marylin Martin Rhie LEIDEN • BOSTON 2010 Cover photo: Niche with Amitāyus triad, Group 6, North Wall, Cave 169, Ping-ling ssu, dated 424 a.d. (after: Heirinji sekkutsu, Tokyo: Heibonsha, 1986) This book is printed on acid-free paper. ISSN 0169-9520 ISBN 978 90 04 18400 8 Copyright 2010 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands. Koninklijke Brill NV incorporates the imprints Brill, Hotei Publishing, IDC Publishers, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers and VSP. All rights reserved. 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Fees are subject to change. printed in the netherlands contents v In memory of Prof. Harrie Vanderstappen and Prof. Erik Zürcher contents vii CONTENTS Preface .......................................................................................................................................................... xix Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................................... xxi List of Illustrations ..................................................................................................................................... xxiii List of Maps and Note on Diacriticals ..................................................................................................... lvii Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 1 Chapter One The Western Ch’in (385-431 A.D.): History and Buddhism ..................................... 7 I. The Ch’i-fu Clan and the Western Ch’in (385-431 A.D.) ........................................................... 8 A. Ch’i-fu Kuo-jen (r. 385-387/388): Beginning of the Western Ch’in Kingdom ............. 8 B. Ch’i-fu Ch’ien-kuei (r. 388-412): Expansion of the Western Ch’in ................................ 9 C. Ch’i-fu Chih-p’an (r. 412-428): Consolidation and Height of the Western Ch’in ....... 12 D. Ch’i-fu Mu-mo (r. 427-431): Demise of the Western Ch’in ............................................ 14 II. Buddhist Activities in the Western Ch’in from Written Records .............................................. 16 A. Sheng-chien: Buddhist Monk Translator ........................................................................... 16 B. Fa-hsien: Early Monk Traveler to the Western Regions .................................................. 19 C. Hsüan-kao: Famous Meditation Monk ............................................................................... 21 D. Hui-lan: Later Traveler to the Western Regions ................................................................ 26 E. Concluding Comments ......................................................................................................... 28 Chapter Two Bronze Buddha Altar from Ching-ch’uan.................................................................... 29 I. Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 29 II. Technical and Stylistic Description and Comparative Analysis ................................................ 30 A. Buddha Image ......................................................................................................................... 31 B. Lion Throne ............................................................................................................................ 36 C. Mandorla ................................................................................................................................. 38 D. Canopy ..................................................................................................................................... 40 E. Four-footed Stand .................................................................................................................. 41 III. Conclusions of Dating and Region of Make from the Technical and Stylistic Analysis ........ 43 IV. The “Kuei-i-hou yin” Bronze Seal and Date of the Burial ........................................................... 44 viii contents Chapter Three Ping-ling ssu Stone Caves: Introduction and Niche No. 1 ...................................... 49 I. Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 49 II. Niche No. 1 Monumental Buddha Statue ....................................................................................... 54 A. Description, Technical, Stylistic and Comparative Analysis .............................................. 55 1. Technique ........................................................................................................................... 55 2. Posture and Hand Positions ............................................................................................. 55 3. Body Form .......................................................................................................................... 56 4. Drapery ............................................................................................................................... 57 5. Head .................................................................................................................................... 59 6. Wall Paintings .................................................................................................................... 61 III. Conclusions and Significance Regarding the Niche No. 1 Buddha .............................................. 61 A. Dating and Sources of Style .................................................................................................... 61 B. Oldest Surviving Monumental Buddha Image in China .................................................... 62 C. Possible King Aśoka Buddha Image and Relation to Eastern Chin in the South ............. 63 D. Relation with the Bāmiyān East Great Buddha .................................................................... 63 Chapter Four Ping-ling ssu Cave 169: West (Rear) Wall ........................................................................ 67 I. Introduction to Cave 169 .................................................................................................................. 67 II. West Wall (upper part) ..................................................................................................................... 68 A. Group 18: Description, Dating and Stylistic Sources .......................................................... 69 1. Large Standing Central Buddha ....................................................................................... 71 a. Proportions and Posture, Body Form and Head ....................................................... 71 b. Drapery .......................................................................................................................... 72 c. Mandorla and Pedestal ................................................................................................. 74 d. Conclusions ................................................................................................................... 75 2. Ten Dhyānāsana Buddhas ................................................................................................ 76 B. Group 18: Iconography of the Large Standing Buddha with Ten Dhyānāsana Buddhas 77 1. Group 18 Schema .............................................................................................................. 77 2. Buddhas of the Ten-Directions in Early Mahāyāna Sutras ........................................... 78 3. Group 18 as Representing Śākyamuni and the Ten Direction Buddhas from Chapter 11 of the Cheng fa-hua ching, Dharmarak(cid:13)a’s Translation of the Saddharmapu(cid:2)(cid:3)arīka Sūtra (Lotus Sutra) ...................................................................... 85 a. Translation of Excerpts from Chapter 11 of the Cheng fa-hua Ching ..................... 86 b. Application of Chapter 11 of the Cheng fa-hua ching to the Group 18 Sculptures 93 c. Comment on the Identity of the Group 18 Configuration ....................................... 97 C. Conclusions of Dating and Iconography ............................................................................. 98 contents ix III. West Wall (lower part) ...................................................................................................................... 100 A. Group 17: Triad with Surviving Standing Bodhisattva ....................................................... 100 1. Description, Sources, and Dating of the Standing Bodhisattva ...................................... 101 2. Iconographic Considerations and Conclusions ............................................................... 104 B. Group 16 .................................................................................................................................. 105 1. Five Dhyānāsana Buddhas ................................................................................................ 106 2. Seated Bodhisattva with One Leg Pendant ...................................................................... 108 3. Two (of three) Standing Buddhas .................................................................................... 111 C. Concluding Remarks .............................................................................................................. 114 Chapter Five Ping-ling ssu Cave 169: East and South Walls .................................................................. 117 I. East (Entrance) Wall: Group 24 ....................................................................................................... 117 A. Description, Comparative Analysis, and Stylistic Sources .................................................. 117 1. Thousand Buddha Painting .............................................................................................. 118 2. Individual Buddha Groups Within the Thousand Buddha Painting ........................... 119 a. Dhyānāsana Buddha Triad with Two Monks ............................................................ 119 b. Teaching Buddha Triad ................................................................................................ 120 c. Śākyamuni and Prabhūtaratna in the Seven Jewel Stupa .......................................... 123 3. Summary Conclusions ...................................................................................................... 125 B. Dedicatory Inscription, Biography of Tao-jung, and Dating of the Group 24 Painting 125 C. Iconography: Textual Considerations ................................................................................... 130 D. Conclusions: Dating and Issues of Identification ................................................................ 134 II. South (Left) Wall ............................................................................................................................... 138 A. Upper Zone: Group 23 ........................................................................................................... 138 1. Large Stone Seated Buddha Relief .................................................................................... 138 2. Row of Painted Stupas ....................................................................................................... 140 3. “Ping-shen” Inscription .................................................................................................... 143 4. Five Dhyānāsana Buddha Sculptures ............................................................................... 145 a. Three Dhyānāsana Buddhas on the Left (East) Side .................................................. 146 i. Brief Description ...................................................................................................... 146 ii. Stylistic Sources and Tentative Dating .................................................................. 147 iii. Relation with West Wall Sculptures in Cave 169 ................................................. 149 iv. Mandorlas ................................................................................................................. 150 b. Two dhyānāsana Buddhas on the Right (West) Side ................................................ 151 i. Description ............................................................................................................... 151 ii. Elements for Comparative Dating of the Two Buddhas ...................................... 152 iii. Mandorlas ................................................................................................................. 153 5. Conclusions ........................................................................................................................ 154 B. Middle Zone: Groups 22 and 21 ............................................................................................ 154 1. Group 22: Standing Buddha Triad ................................................................................... 155 a. Buddha ........................................................................................................................... 155