October 12th 2003
The Mogao Caves are the Buddhist cave-temples located 25 km southeast of Dunhuang City, Gansu Province,at the eastern foot of the Mingsha Mountain.
More than half of the caves were built during the Sui and Tang Dynasty (581-907 A.D) in China. The subjects of the murals are called Jatakas, and they include scenes of Buddhist sutras, Buddhist figures, donors and decorative designs. Dark and tragic moods are now replaced with bright and happy tones. The paintings describe Buddhist sutras and recount everyday living experiences such as banquet parties, parades, receiving medical attention, and farming. The paintings are simple, vivid and interesting.
The mural painting "Western Pure Land" has Buddha and his disciple as the main focal point but also includes a crystal and jade mansion, fairyland, green trees, a playing band and dancing girls in the background. The painting is full of multi-coloured decorations and exhibits a flowery aura.
Some figures in Dunhuang murals appear unpolished and unclear in the background while others in the forefront are intensely detailed. The character’s bodies are vivid and accurate. Males are dressed in costumes with long strips and appear natural and fluid. Full figured females are extremely beautiful and elegant.
Tang Dynasty paintings, with everyday subject matter and exquisite painting techniques especially of human subjects, are close to our contemporary paintings. The artists put their zeal for life into their bright, neat and colourful paintings. Their unusual creativity and highly realistic skills are fully expressed through the paintings.
Translated and adapted from Traditional Studies Net by The Epoch Times.
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