Silk Road Splendor - Dunhuang Caves Art Exhibition
The largest and most spectacular Dunhuang exhibition in Taiwan
By Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum
Attributed to Dunhuang Academy
Zhang Qian's Expedition to Central Asia (Early Tang dynasty) by Dunhuang AcademyFo Guang Shan Buddha Museum
Unit 1: A Long Ride on the Silk Road
Zhang Qian expedited Central Asia and created a trade route that connected China and the West. The route, named the "Silk Road" in the 19th century, started from Chang'an and passed through the Hexi Corridor and Dunhuang, reaching Central Asia, India, West Asia, and Europe.
Central Asian Caravans (Sui dynasty) by Lou Jie ReplicatedFo Guang Shan Buddha Museum
Crossroads for Cultural Exchange
The Silk Road was not just used for trade, but also constituted a crossroads for cultural exchanges between ancient China and the West.
UNESCO World Heritage: Xuanquanzhi
The Xuanquanzhi Site, established by the Han dynasty in the Hexi Corridor from the 2nd century BCE to the 2nd century CE, holds significant historical importance. Over 70,000 cultural relics were discovered in the 1990s.
Three Documents Consisting of "Permits to Customs Clearance of the Han Dynasty", One of the Earliest Findings of the Word "Dunhuang", as well as a Sentence Saying "Western Regions Protectorate Seal" (Context Unclear)
Mogao Grottoes by Dunhuang AcademyFo Guang Shan Buddha Museum
Unit 2: Thousand Year Construction
The first of the Dunhuang Caves was carved out in 366 CE. A Buddhist monk called Yuezun was traveling past Dunhuang and was struck with a vision of images of a thousand Buddhas bathing in golden light, prompting him to carve out the first cave at Mogao.
Great Buddha Caves by Dunhuang AcademyFo Guang Shan Buddha Museum
The Origins
A monk named Faliang hewed out another cave next to the one carved by Yuezun. Since then, the caves grew in number. The earliest extant cave was carved during the Northern Liang period.
Mogao Cave Buddha Niche Stele
The stele records that in the year 366, Monk Yuezun initiated the construction of the cave, followed by figures like Monk Faliang, the Duke of Dongyang, and the Duke of Jianping, resulting in over a thousand niches being built by the time of the 8th century.
Sutra Illustration of Western Pure Land (High Tang dynasty) by Mogao Cave 217Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum
Unit 3: Radiant Buddha's Palace
The art form presented in Dunhuang's Mogao Caves incorporates foreign art to create a distinct Chinese-Buddhist style, combining three-dimensional architecture, sculptures, and murals.
Six-Syllable Mantra Stele
Dated to year 1348, this stele features inscriptions of the Six-Syllable Mantra in six different scripts: Chinese, Sanskrit, Uighur, Tibetan, Tangut, and Phags-pa. Surrounding the Six-Syllable Mantra are inscriptions naming 95 benefactors, with a notable presence of Mongolians.
Sutra Illustration of the Eastern Pure Lan (Early Tang dynasty) by Mogao Cave 220Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum
A Millennium of Social Life
Depicting a millennium of social life in Ancient China, the Mogao Caves are the most significant, ancient, well-preserved, and artistically exquisite Buddhist treasure in the world, with the art ranging from 400 to 1400 CE.
Mogao Cave 45 (High Tang dynasty) by unknownFo Guang Shan Buddha Museum
Mogao Cave 45
High Tang dynasty
Mogao Cave 432 Central Pillar (Upper Half: Western Wei Dynasty, Lower Half: Northern Song Dynasty) by unknownFo Guang Shan Buddha Museum
Mogao Cave 432 - Central Pillar
Central Pillar, Mogao Cave 432, Upper Half: Western Wei Dynasty, Lower Half: Northern Song Dynasty
The Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva image (right) in the Buddha Museum's Avalokitesvara Shrine was sculpted based on the mural in Mogao Cave 3 (left).
Two Statues Displaying Buddha (left) and a Bodhisattva (right)
Vessel in the Vault (Northern Song dynasty) by Mogao Cave 55Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum
Unit 4: Mundane Human Behavior
Although the cave's images are illustrating Buddhist doctrines, they are largely drawn from contemporary life and often portray buildings, social life, work and labor, production tools, and military life.
Dance of Worshiping the Stupa (High Tang dynasty) by Mogao Cave 23Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum
A Precious Database
The illustrations found in the caves provide a precious cultural database of numerous images demonstrating different aspects of life and different cultural elements.
Mount Wutai (Five Dynasties Period) by Mogao Cave 61Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum
Mount Wutai
Mogao Cave 61, Five Dynasties Period
Lady Governor Worships Buddha
This artwork is a portrait of a patron painted on the southern wall of the corridor in Cave 130 of the Mogao Grottoes. The figures in the painting are arranged in accordance with their ages and social status, depicting the Lady Governor, her two daughters, and nine maids dressed
Excerpts From Everyday Life Between 400 and 1400 CE
Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī Sūtra Illustration (Mid-Tang dynasty) by Fan Xinggang ReplicatedFo Guang Shan Buddha Museum
Unit 5: Earth-Shattering Discovery
On May 26, 1900, the Daoist Wang Yuanlu discovered the "Library Cave" at the Mogao Grottoes. He found over 50,000 historical texts, silk paintings, embroidered items, and more.
Bodhisattva Bhrikuti Avalokiteshvara with Silk Thread (Northern Song dynasty) by Dunhuang AcademyFo Guang Shan Buddha Museum
An Important Archeological Find
The discovery of the Library Cave is one of the world’s most significant archaeological finds of the 20th century. It is a momentous event in the history of culture and art, and is often regarded as one of the four major discoveries of ancient documents in the 20th century.
Monk Traveling with a Tiger
This painting portrays an erudite monk who has returned from India, carrying a bag filled with sacred scriptures and accompanied by a tiger. The spread of Buddhism from India to China was made possible by the tireless efforts of numerous dedicated monks.
Two Sutras Discovered in The Library Cave, Reading Part Six of the Mahaparinirvana Sutra (left) and The Mahāyāna Amitayurdhyana Sutra (right)
Dragon King Making Offerings to the Buddha (Five Dynasties period) by Shi Weixiang and Huo XiliangFo Guang Shan Buddha Museum
Year of the Dragon Special - Dragons in Dunhuang Murals
The image of the dragon is one of the most common subjects in the history of Chinese art, and it is also a prevalent theme in the paintings and sculptures found in the Dunhuang Caves.
The concept of the dragon holds a special and significant place in the Chinese nation, representing an essential aspect of the Chinese spirit and culture. Dunhuang art is a form of Buddhist art that has its origins in India. Therefore, studying the dragon imagery in the Dunhuang Mogao Caves, especially the examination of dragon images in the early caves, is profoundly beneficial for further understanding the relationship between Buddhist art and Chinese culture.
These and many more artworks will be displayed at the Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum from
Dec 16, 2023 to July 21, 2024
You are all set!
Your first Culture Weekly will arrive this week.