Main content
Asian Art Museum
Course: Asian Art Museum > Unit 5
Lesson 1: China- Introduction to China
- An introduction to ancient China
- Archaeology and the study of ancient China
- Discoveries in Chinese archaeology
- Bottle with mouth in the shape of a mushroom
- Ritual implements (cong and bi)
- Working jade
- Introduction to the Shang dynasty
- Shang dynasty ritual bronze vessels
- Ritual vessel (fangyi)
- Horse decoration in the form of a taotie mask
- Ritual vessel in the shape of a rhinoceros
- Covered ritual wine vessel (gong)
- Ritual wine vessel (hu)
- Seated Buddha dated 338
- Introduction to the Han dynasty
- Vase with cover
- Cicada
- Money tree
- House model
- Storehouse
- Terracotta Warriors from the mausoleum of the first Qin emperor of China
- An Introduction to the Tang dynasty (618–906)
- Dancer
- Camel
- Central Asian wine peddler
- Stele with the Buddha Shakyamuni and Prabhutaratna
- Stele of the Buddha Maitreya
- Chinese Buddhist cave shrines
- Buddhist Temples at Wutaishan
- An Introduction to the Song dynasty (960–1279)
- Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara (Chinese: Guanyin)
- Taoism in the Tang and Song dynasties
- Arhat (Chinese: luohan)
- Bowl with brown mottling
- Classical gardens of Suzhou
- An introduction to the Ming dynasty (1368–1644)
- Technology during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644)
- Covered jar with fish in lotus pond
- Song of the morning
- Appreciating Chinese calligraphy
- Decoding Chinese calligraphy
- Whirling Snow on the River Bank
- Climbing Huangshan (Yellow Mountain)
- The Forbidden City
© 2023 Khan AcademyTerms of usePrivacy PolicyCookie Notice
Chinese Buddhist cave shrines
This video explores ancient Buddhist cave shrines in China, including why the sites were created and the major sponsors and patrons. Created by Asian Art Museum.
Want to join the conversation?
I noticed that a lot of these statues have long earlobes. Were the people that the statues modeled after really had long earlobe? If yes how or why?(12 votes)
Chinese people believe that someone who has large earlobes associates with kindness and righteousness. He/she will have happiness in the entire of his/her life.(19 votes)
- Is there some sort of belief in Buddhism that mountains are sacred grounds for temples?(4 votes)
Mountaintops, and "high places" are the closest you can get to the heavens while still on earth, it is not limited to Buddhism, but nearly all belief systems world wide had some equivalent of "high places" for the worship center. In Egypt where there is a conspicuous lack of high places the temples were made into artificial mountains, i.e. pyramids, specifically the great pyramid complex in Giza is a great example. This was also done is south america, asia, and all around the world where pyramid building cultures were found. The idea though is getting closer to the heavens brings us closer to that which we worship, so places of worship are built closer to the heavens, or high up. Hope this helps! T.S.(5 votes)
I might be Chinese, but I've only been there once. Why are there huge mountains and sculptures? Thanks in advance:-)(4 votes)
You would need to study the geology of the area to understand for mountain ranges. The Silk Trail would be the line of least resistance through the mountains into the territory beyond.(1 vote)
I thought it was a tradition to always depict the Buddha with his eyes closed, yet alot of these have his eyes open...?(2 votes)
I haven't heard of that tradition before, but it probably represents the historical Buddha meditating. There are other Buddhas that may not be traditionally seen as meditating, like Maitreya, the "future Buddha".(1 vote)
What were the paints made out of that were used to paint the caves and statues?(1 vote)
Were the hollowed out caves planned from the start, or were they dedicated as they went along and expanded them?(1 vote)- The caves after a long time of digging and expanding，Various dynasties are built.(1 vote)
How did they find all the shrines.(1 vote)
There's a proverb in Taiwanese, "lift your head three feet, there are gods". I suppose those who found the caves just gazed upwards as they passed along at a lower level.(1 vote)
Do the dry-ish climates of these cave sites help preserve the statues and carvings, or have they been maintained/restored extensively over the years?(1 vote)- They have been restored continually over the years.(1 vote)
Video transcript
among the familiar landmarks of early Buddhist art in China are the cave shrines at Dunhuang young gong and lung one why were these sites created who were the major sponsors and patrons Dunhuang was located along the Silk Roads at the far western edge of China merchants local rulers landowners and travelers support of the local monastic community by excavating hundreds of caves along the nearby cliffs over a period of a thousand years some patron sought protection from the hazards of desert travel others wish to give thanks by commissioning statues such as these kings and queens were depicted bearing offerings many paintings and sculptures were created as a way to gain spiritual merit the caves at Young Gong were begun in 460 by the rulers of the Northern Wei dynasty the way rulers and their families who commissioned these colossal buddhas and other deities in fact considered themselves to be living buddhas their exalted position promised salvation to the people they now ruled this was political art on a grand scale in 494 the way court started work on another set of caves at lumen several thousand caves were carved into the cliffs over the next 400 years processions of royal donors and their attendants can be seen on the cave walls but inscriptions tell us that people from all walks of life contributed to the creation of these cave shrines some inscriptions proclaim the spread of Buddhism while others speak of more personal wishes for the health and safety of loved ones for ancestors and for a happy afterlife the largest shrine at lumen was commissioned in the 600's by the tang dynasty emperor gaozong the central figure represents Verona the cosmic Buddha who embraces all worlds past and present it is believed that the features were modeled after Galton's Empress wootsat Tien who later seized the throne flanking the main figure are Bodhisattvas monks and guardian figures visitors to the cave sites can appreciate the many circumstances under which early Buddhist art in China was produced and how the remoteness of some of these sites has helped to preserve them over time you you