Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Monday, September 8, 2008
2. Video & Photos of Flying Apsaras in Dunhuang Murals
Alan, you can click the photos to enlarge or right click to save as in your hard disk
Beautiful ladies of Buddhism in DunHuang paintings
Flying Apsaras in Olympics Opening Ceremony Beijing
Dunhuang Flying Asparas
Flying Asparas, the symbol of Dunhuang art, are scattered in all the 500 grottoes of Dunhuang area. They are an embodiment of Gandharva, the God in charge of holy songs and dances, and Kimnara, the God in charge of entertainment.
They, husband and wife, were originally God of entertainment and God of songs and dances in Indian mythology and were later converted to the Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils by Buddha. Resting in flower pedals and flying in the heavenly paradise, Gandharva was responsible to spread scent in the Buddhist world, present flowers to Buddhas, and offer treasure; while Kimnara was responsible for music and dance in the Buddhist world. He was not permitted to fly in the heaven. Later on Gandharva and Kimnara were mixed together, without distinguishable gender and duty. They became one integral part as Flying Asparas. At present, the one playing music in early stage is called Paradise Musician; the other one playing music instrument singing and dancing is called Flying Asparas Musician.
The characteristic of Dunhuang Flying Asparas is that it, without wings or feather, flies in the sky with the support of floating cloth and color ribbons instead of cloud and wings. Flying Asparas have thousands of forms and postures which change from time to time. Dunhuang Flying Asparas are developed based on the Chinese tradition, combining the characteristics of foreign and domestic Flying Asparas. Flying Asparas have different characteristics at different stages because they only play the role of decoration.
Dunhuang Fly Asparas of the early stage were printed on the top of the grottoes. For example, there are several Flying Asparas in No. 275 and No.272 Grottoes feature glory on head, oval face, short body with upper part naked, big scarf covering one shoulder, long skirt, white powder on nose and eyes. They are very similar to the Flying Asparas of Guizi grottoes in western China's Xinjiang Autonomous Region in terms of facial expression, flying posture, color and line, etc.
In the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Flying Asparas formed their own unique style and reached the zenith of artistic development after completing the process of introducing, absorbing and combining foreign arts.
There are big Jingbian (explaining sutra to make it easy to be understood) murals on the four walls in the grottoes of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Flying Asparas appeared not only in sunken panels, Buddhist niches, and four mantles, but also mostly on Jingbian paintings. When Buddhas are teaching doctrine in the centre of the Pure Land, Flying Asparas fly in the sky attractively in a nimble and delicate, free way, clothes swinging in wind, and color ribbons floating in air.
In the Tang Dynasty, there emerged many double Flying Asparas, such as dual-body Double Flying Asparas flying elegantly on the southern side of the upper part of Buddhist niches on western wall of No. 321 Grottoes. Despite their dark complexion, the outline and postures of the Flying Asparas can be seen clearly. They, tall and slim, with head up and straight body, are spreading flowers in the sky. There are also naked Flying Asparas, Virgin Flying Asparas in the murals.
Flying Asparas, after the Five Dynasties Period (907-960) and the Song Dynasty (960-1279), did not have novel postures but all in conventional patterns. Although Flying Asparas have different characteristics in different periods, they have gradually lost the original art life.
Dunhuan grottoes, keeping numerous Flying Asparas from the 4th to 14th century, are valuable treasures of national art, and a bright pearl in Buddhist art.
1. World Heritage in China(high quality photos)---- Lhasa Tamples, Longmen Grottoes and Leshan Giant Buddha
1.Lhasa Tamples
a.Potala Palace
This ancient architectural complex is considered a model of Tibetan architecture. Located on the Red Hill in Lhasa, Tibet, it is 3,700 meters above sea level and covers an area of over 360,000 square meters, measuring 360 meters from east to west and 270 meters from south to north. The palace has 13 stories, and is 117 meters high. In 641, Songtsan Gambo, ruler of the Tubo Kingdom, had the Potala Palace built for Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty, whom he was soon to marry. This structure was later burned to the ground during a war and was rebuilt in the 17th century by the Fifth Dalai Lama. Repeated repairs and expansions until 1645 finally brought the palace to its present scale. Over the past three centuries, the palace gradually became a place where the Dalai Lama lived and worked and a place for keeping the remains of successive Dalai Lama.The stone-and-wood-structured Potala Palace consists of the White Palace and Red Palace. The White Palace, comprising halls, temples and courtyards, serves as the living quarters of the Dalai Lama. The Red Palace includes various chambers for worshipping Buddha and chambers housing the eight stupa that contain the remains of fifth through thirteenth Dalai Lama. All the stupas are covered with gold foil. The most magnificent stupa belongs to the fifth Dalai Lama. It is 14.85 meters tall and inlaid with pearl and jade. The palace also collected a large number of sculptures, murals, scripture and other valuable cultural relics.
b.Norbulingka Park
Situated in the western suburbs of Lhasa, Norbulingka Park was built in the middle of the 18th century during the reign of the 7th Dalai Lama and served as the Summer Palace of Dalai Lamas where they handle political affairs, practiced religious activities and spent holidays. Traditionally the Dalai Lamas would leave the Potala Palace every spring and spend the summer in Norbulingka. Lingka in Tibetan means a beautiful place with trees and lawns, and Norbu means treasure. In addition to its beautiful environment, Norbulingka boasts many palaces, pavilions, various kinds of flowers as well as a lake and a zoo. In the past, Norbulingka was heavily guarded, with access allowed only to a few with special permission. Now it is open to the public. During the Shotun Festival (yogurt festival) which starts on July 1 of the Tibetan calendar, the park is crowded with people who come to sing, dance and picnic for the celebration.
c.The Jokhang Monastery
The Jokhang Monastery, an example of the earliest architecture in Tibet, can claim to be the center around which the city of Lhasa developed. The legend goes that Princess Wencheng, Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo's Chinese wife in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), had the monastery built by filling up the lake Wothang with the help of a sacred goat. A willow said to have been planted by Princess Wencheng and Songtsen Gampo themselves still grows outside the gate of the monastery.Built in 648, the Jokhang Monastery expanded to the present scale in the 17th century after several renovations. Located on Barkhor Street, Lhasa, it faces west and has four stories with the roofs covered with gilded bronze tiles. It was built in Tang Dynasty architectural style with characteristics of Nepalese and Indian architecture. The main hall is supported by 20 large wooden columns. There are elegant relief sculptures of human beings, birds and animals carved on the bucket-arch beams. A golden statue of the young Buddha Sakyamuni at age 12 brought to Tibet by Princess Wen Cheng from Chang'an, capital of the Tang Dynasty, is enshrined in the center. The statutes of Songtsen Gampo, Princess Wencheng and Princess Chizun, another wife of the Tibetan King are enshrined in side halls.
Photos:
2.Longmen Grottoes
The Longmen Grottoes, South of Luoyang in Henan Province, is home to the largest and most striking collection of stone carvings in China. The carvings date back over 1,500 years from the Northern Wei Dynasty, when Luoyang was the capital, through to the Tang Dynasty. Combining imperial and central Chinese styles and created at the pinnacle of stone carving in China, the carvings and reliefs of the Longmen Grottoes are an outstanding manifestation of human artistic creativity.
3.Leshan Giant Buddha
Leshan Giant Buddha, the largest stone sculpture of Buddha in the world, sits at the confluence of the Minjiang, Dadu and Qingyi rivers. According to records, the carving of this giant Buddha was begun in the in the first year of the reign of the Tang Emperor Tang Xuanzong (713 AD), and completed in the 19th year of Emperor Dezong (803 AD), a total of 90 years. Taking the shape of a Maitreya ,he is depicted barefooted with drooping ears and has his hair arranged in a spiral topknot. His chest is exposed and his hands rest on his knees. Carved from the side of the Lingyun Hill, with his head level with the cliff top, the gigantic stone sculpture faces Mt. Emeishan, with the rivers flowing below his feet. Looking dignified and solemn, the Buddha measures 71 meters in height. His shoulders are 28 meters across. The head is 14.7 metes long and 10 meters broad with total 1021 buns of hair on it. The instep, which is 8.5 meters wide, can accommodate 100 people. The toe is large enough to accommodate a dinner table. Taller by 17 meters than the standing Buddha in Afghanistan, Leshan Giant Buddha is therefore the tallest Buddha in the world and in 1996, it was added to the World Natural and Cultural Heritage List. According to historical records, Leshan Giant Buddha was hewn during the prosperous Tang Period (618 - 907). It was said there was a river monster that lived at this spot. He often caused floods that capsized passing boats and took cost many lives. In order to subdue the waters and save lives, Master Haitong, a Buddhist abbot of the Lingyun Monastery, raised the necessary funds and commenced the construction of the Giant Buddha. He hoped that the presence of the Great Buddha would subdue the monster and so pacify the swift currents thereby protecting the boatmen who traversed the treacherous river. Directed by Master Haitong, the construction work began in 713. However, on the first day of construction, an avaricious official had his eye on the money and tried to blackmail the abbot. Master Haitong defied him and said: You could gouge out my eyes but not touch the money donated to build the Buddha. The official flew into a rage and dared him to do it. Master Haitong gouged out his own eyes and presented them in a tray to the official. The man fled in awe and terror Master Haitong died when the work was only half done. Zang Chou and Wei Gao, two of his disciples, continued the work. After 90 years ' effort, the Buddha was finally completed in 803. It is impossible to know how, without the aid of modern equipment, people in those ancient times managed to design and create such a grand statue. Secrets of the Giant Buddha: a) Buddha's Coiled Bun of Hair. The head of the Leshan Buddha is covered with 1,021 buns of curly hair. Seen from afar, they seem to be a whole while in fact they are made of rocks and each of which is large enough to support a big round table. b) Broken Stele in the Chest of the Buddha. According to the experts involved in the maintenance in 1962, there is a cave in the chest of the Buddha. On entering the cave they found scrap iron and bricks. The stele covering the entrance of the cave dates from the Song Dynasty. The reason for this stele in the chest of the Buddha remains a mystery. c) Drainage System over the Body. Leshan statue is a work of art as well a work of creativity. If you look carefully you may find an internal drainage system was incorporated into the sculpture that is still in working order. Drainage pipes were carved in various places on the body, to carry away the water after the rains so as to reduce weathering.
a.Potala Palace
This ancient architectural complex is considered a model of Tibetan architecture. Located on the Red Hill in Lhasa, Tibet, it is 3,700 meters above sea level and covers an area of over 360,000 square meters, measuring 360 meters from east to west and 270 meters from south to north. The palace has 13 stories, and is 117 meters high. In 641, Songtsan Gambo, ruler of the Tubo Kingdom, had the Potala Palace built for Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty, whom he was soon to marry. This structure was later burned to the ground during a war and was rebuilt in the 17th century by the Fifth Dalai Lama. Repeated repairs and expansions until 1645 finally brought the palace to its present scale. Over the past three centuries, the palace gradually became a place where the Dalai Lama lived and worked and a place for keeping the remains of successive Dalai Lama.The stone-and-wood-structured Potala Palace consists of the White Palace and Red Palace. The White Palace, comprising halls, temples and courtyards, serves as the living quarters of the Dalai Lama. The Red Palace includes various chambers for worshipping Buddha and chambers housing the eight stupa that contain the remains of fifth through thirteenth Dalai Lama. All the stupas are covered with gold foil. The most magnificent stupa belongs to the fifth Dalai Lama. It is 14.85 meters tall and inlaid with pearl and jade. The palace also collected a large number of sculptures, murals, scripture and other valuable cultural relics.
b.Norbulingka Park
Situated in the western suburbs of Lhasa, Norbulingka Park was built in the middle of the 18th century during the reign of the 7th Dalai Lama and served as the Summer Palace of Dalai Lamas where they handle political affairs, practiced religious activities and spent holidays. Traditionally the Dalai Lamas would leave the Potala Palace every spring and spend the summer in Norbulingka. Lingka in Tibetan means a beautiful place with trees and lawns, and Norbu means treasure. In addition to its beautiful environment, Norbulingka boasts many palaces, pavilions, various kinds of flowers as well as a lake and a zoo. In the past, Norbulingka was heavily guarded, with access allowed only to a few with special permission. Now it is open to the public. During the Shotun Festival (yogurt festival) which starts on July 1 of the Tibetan calendar, the park is crowded with people who come to sing, dance and picnic for the celebration.
c.The Jokhang Monastery
The Jokhang Monastery, an example of the earliest architecture in Tibet, can claim to be the center around which the city of Lhasa developed. The legend goes that Princess Wencheng, Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo's Chinese wife in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), had the monastery built by filling up the lake Wothang with the help of a sacred goat. A willow said to have been planted by Princess Wencheng and Songtsen Gampo themselves still grows outside the gate of the monastery.Built in 648, the Jokhang Monastery expanded to the present scale in the 17th century after several renovations. Located on Barkhor Street, Lhasa, it faces west and has four stories with the roofs covered with gilded bronze tiles. It was built in Tang Dynasty architectural style with characteristics of Nepalese and Indian architecture. The main hall is supported by 20 large wooden columns. There are elegant relief sculptures of human beings, birds and animals carved on the bucket-arch beams. A golden statue of the young Buddha Sakyamuni at age 12 brought to Tibet by Princess Wen Cheng from Chang'an, capital of the Tang Dynasty, is enshrined in the center. The statutes of Songtsen Gampo, Princess Wencheng and Princess Chizun, another wife of the Tibetan King are enshrined in side halls.
Photos:
2.Longmen Grottoes
The Longmen Grottoes, South of Luoyang in Henan Province, is home to the largest and most striking collection of stone carvings in China. The carvings date back over 1,500 years from the Northern Wei Dynasty, when Luoyang was the capital, through to the Tang Dynasty. Combining imperial and central Chinese styles and created at the pinnacle of stone carving in China, the carvings and reliefs of the Longmen Grottoes are an outstanding manifestation of human artistic creativity.
3.Leshan Giant Buddha
Leshan Giant Buddha, the largest stone sculpture of Buddha in the world, sits at the confluence of the Minjiang, Dadu and Qingyi rivers. According to records, the carving of this giant Buddha was begun in the in the first year of the reign of the Tang Emperor Tang Xuanzong (713 AD), and completed in the 19th year of Emperor Dezong (803 AD), a total of 90 years. Taking the shape of a Maitreya ,he is depicted barefooted with drooping ears and has his hair arranged in a spiral topknot. His chest is exposed and his hands rest on his knees. Carved from the side of the Lingyun Hill, with his head level with the cliff top, the gigantic stone sculpture faces Mt. Emeishan, with the rivers flowing below his feet. Looking dignified and solemn, the Buddha measures 71 meters in height. His shoulders are 28 meters across. The head is 14.7 metes long and 10 meters broad with total 1021 buns of hair on it. The instep, which is 8.5 meters wide, can accommodate 100 people. The toe is large enough to accommodate a dinner table. Taller by 17 meters than the standing Buddha in Afghanistan, Leshan Giant Buddha is therefore the tallest Buddha in the world and in 1996, it was added to the World Natural and Cultural Heritage List. According to historical records, Leshan Giant Buddha was hewn during the prosperous Tang Period (618 - 907). It was said there was a river monster that lived at this spot. He often caused floods that capsized passing boats and took cost many lives. In order to subdue the waters and save lives, Master Haitong, a Buddhist abbot of the Lingyun Monastery, raised the necessary funds and commenced the construction of the Giant Buddha. He hoped that the presence of the Great Buddha would subdue the monster and so pacify the swift currents thereby protecting the boatmen who traversed the treacherous river. Directed by Master Haitong, the construction work began in 713. However, on the first day of construction, an avaricious official had his eye on the money and tried to blackmail the abbot. Master Haitong defied him and said: You could gouge out my eyes but not touch the money donated to build the Buddha. The official flew into a rage and dared him to do it. Master Haitong gouged out his own eyes and presented them in a tray to the official. The man fled in awe and terror Master Haitong died when the work was only half done. Zang Chou and Wei Gao, two of his disciples, continued the work. After 90 years ' effort, the Buddha was finally completed in 803. It is impossible to know how, without the aid of modern equipment, people in those ancient times managed to design and create such a grand statue. Secrets of the Giant Buddha: a) Buddha's Coiled Bun of Hair. The head of the Leshan Buddha is covered with 1,021 buns of curly hair. Seen from afar, they seem to be a whole while in fact they are made of rocks and each of which is large enough to support a big round table. b) Broken Stele in the Chest of the Buddha. According to the experts involved in the maintenance in 1962, there is a cave in the chest of the Buddha. On entering the cave they found scrap iron and bricks. The stele covering the entrance of the cave dates from the Song Dynasty. The reason for this stele in the chest of the Buddha remains a mystery. c) Drainage System over the Body. Leshan statue is a work of art as well a work of creativity. If you look carefully you may find an internal drainage system was incorporated into the sculpture that is still in working order. Drainage pipes were carved in various places on the body, to carry away the water after the rains so as to reduce weathering.
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