A Study on the Buddhist Sculuptures in tne Period of Empress Wu

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25370127
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Fine art history
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba
• Principal Investigator: YAGI Haruo 筑波大学, 芸術系, 教授 (90261792)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): OZAWA Masahito 成城大学, 文芸学部, 教授 (00257205)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 則天武后期仏教造像 / 初唐仏教造像 / 盛唐仏教造像 / 敦煌莫高窟唐前期造像 / 龍門石窟唐前期造像 / 西安宝慶寺塔造像龕 / 山東唐前期造像 / 天龍山石窟前期造像

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In Tang period,it was during the reign of Empress Wu (690-705) when the rapid development both in style and form of Buddhist sculpture took place and the Buddhist statues began to show realistic representation in physical rendering. Such pursuit of realism in sculpture continued in the succeeding reigns of Emperors Zhongzong and Ruizong (705-712) .
The rendering of the Buddha’s thighs being exposed through the drapery was brought over as a trait of expression along the Indian boom which came to China after the rerun of Xuanzang and Wang Xuance. This type of expression became the foundation both in style and form of the Buddhist sculpture of Emperor Zhongzong and Ruizong times.The realistic representation of Buddhist statues was earnestly pursued to its far most end after the Empress Wu’s reign. This human-like representation of Buddha image is the most outstanding and unique characteristic of the Buddhist art of the High Tang period and a clear separation from the Indian art.

Free Research Field

中国仏教美術史