Research On Family Yin At Dunhuang And The Mogao Grottoes

Family Yin was a unique family active in various historical periods of Dunhuang, including the Wei, Jin, the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Sui, Tang, Tibetan Occupation, and the Return-to-Allegiance Army period. Just like the other powerful families at Dunhuang, Family Yin never stopped their efforts to reinforce their social status, and in this way they contributed to the society, economy and culture. Family Yin showed their personality throughout Dunhuang's history.Caves constructed by Family Yin at the Mogao Grottoes appeared during the period from the Northern Dynasties to the Return-to-Allegiance Army period ruled by Family Cao. Family Yin was also a pioneer in trying new Buddhist beliefs, thoughts as well as images. The images occasionally appeared in the pre-Tang caves constructed by Family Yin indicated that they were easy to accept new things. And the post-Tang caves constructed by them also exhibited the then popular Buddhist thoughts at Dunhuang.Family Yin was originally migrants from the Central Plains and it became powerful in the period of the Former Liang ruled by Zhang Gui. They first prospered in Wuwei and developed at both Wuwei and Dunhuang. During the rule of Zhang Jun, Family Yin was not trusted by the authorities. Yin Dan was forced back to Dunhuang while his brother Yin Jian was killed. This taught Family Yin a good lesson. Thereafter, Family Yin always remained good relationship with the authorities no matter it was ruled by the central government or local governors.During the period when Yuan Rong, Prince Dongyang, ruled Dunhuang in the Northern Dynasties, Family Yin not only kept a close relationship with the rulers, but also actively followed the rules to construct caves. They had sufficient economic power through the marriage with Family Shi of the Sogdians. From the 4th to the 5th year of the Datong Era during the Western Wei,Family Yin joined in the popular Buddhist organization "Yi-yi" and took part in the construction of Mogao Cave 285 as one of the practical patrons. The portraits of their family members were second to the rulers, while one of their family members, bishku Bianhua, acted as "Yi-shi"throughout the construction of this cave.In the 22nd year of the Zhenguan Era during the Tang dynasty, Yin Yiquan and Yin Yiben, the brothers of Family Yin, rebuilt the Western Wei Cave 431, had the paintings of the four heavenly kings as well as the Vipasyana Sukhavativyuha Sutra Illustrations painted, which embodied Shan Dao's dharma-gate ideas, and founded the earliest ritual place for being reborn in the Western Pure Land.During the reign period of Wu Zetian in the Tang dynasty, taking advantage of Wu Zetian's ascending the throne, Yin Sijian and Yin Shouzhong, two members of Family Yin, gave the auspicious five-colored bird and white wolf to Empress Wu in the second year of Tianshou Era,and then the family grew powerful rapidly. Thereafter, Yi Sijian was appointed to hold a series of high-ranking posts, making Family Yin one of the noble families. Yin Shouzhong was also appointed as the Zhongwu General.In the Yanzai second year (the first year of Zhengsheng Era), Master Lingyin, Yin Zu and others family constructed the Maitreya statute in Mogao Cave 96 to celebrate Wu Zetian's ascending to Throne, which became a emblematic sign of Dunhuang caves.During the Shengli Era, Some members of Family Yin jointly constructed Mogao cave 217 and had the illustration of the Usnisa Vijaya Dharani painted inside, which exhibited the opposite elements of Buddhist history, Empty and Existence. A lot of new elements appeared in old Buddhist themes. Therefore, this was not only the real family cave of Family Yin, but also the cave with the most unique art features and religious connotation. The introduction of the Usnisa Vijaya Dharani sutra illustration had influenced the development of later Manjusri beliefs and images in Dunhuang caves. In addition, the first appearance of the Diamond Sutra, Avalokitesvara Sutra and Amitayus Sutra illustrations had exerted great influence on similar sutra illustrations of later times.From the 9th to the 11th year of the Kaiyuan Era, Yin Shouzhong and his son Yin Xiuji built cave 321 and put his white wolf in this cave. In addition, the appearance of new images such as the Ten-Wheel Sutra illustration made it a place for the Ksitigarbha sect and the Pure Land sect to debate on their thoughts of the Last Dharma stage. The appearance of the Ten-Wheel Sutra illustration influenced the belief in Ksitigarbha at Dunhuang caves. Shizu-mingzu-zhi was just like a limestone for Family Yin at Dunhuang, which exhibits how the two branches of Family Yin,namely Yin Chou and Yin Zu, developed and prospered at Dunhuang.During the Tibetan Occupation, Family Yin made timely decision. Yin Bolun joined in the defending war against Tibet when the Tibetans were attacking Dunhuang; when Dunhuang surrendered to the Tibetans, they actively cooperated with the Tibetan rules and even held official posts in Tibetan government. Later, Yin Jiazheng and his brothers sponsored the construction of Mogao Cave 231, which was regarded as a good example of the combination of Buddhist thoughts and secular purposes, not only indicating Dharmalaksana Sect's thoughts on Yogacara-Vijnanavada,but also demonstrating thoughts on filial piety and loyalty advocated by both Buddhism and the secular society.In the second year of the Dazhong Era, Zhang Yichao led an uprising, overthrew the Tibetan government and built the Return-to-Allegiance Army regime. Yin Wentong, who was an offspring of Yin Sijian, joined in all the great battles from the uprising to the recovery of Lianzhou, and married Zhang Yichao's daughter. In the Return-to-Allegiance Army regime ruled over by Zhang Chengfeng, Family Yin took part in the struggle to help Zhang Chengfeng to get back his power as the governor's relatives through marriage. Yin Jifeng was appointed governor of Liang Zhou and he constructed Cave 138 to celebrate his promotion. Later,Monk Hai Yan,Yin Jifeng's son, was appointed the head of Buddhist communities in Hexi regions, who rebuilt his family cave and constructed cave 139 to commemorate this event. The social purpose of constructing Cave 138 was very obvious. It combined the popular thoughts of Zen sect and the filial piety thoughts, and these jointly exhibited the political, social and religious conditions during the Return-to-Allegiance Army regime ruled over by Zhang Chengfeng.During the Return-to-Allegiance army regime ruled over by Family Cao, Family Yin was always acting as an assistant to participate the management of state affairs. Though no cave was constructed in this period, they were active in rebuilding their family caves and joining in constructions of new caves and rebuilding of previous caves.During the later period of the Return-to-Allegiance Army ruled by Family Cao, the Uighur and Tangut became powerful and ruled Guazhou and Shazhou one after another, which greatly weakened the powerful families at Dunhuang. Moreover, these families declined into ordinary ones for some reasons. Their dominant position at Dunhuang disappeared along with the end of the Return-to-Allegiance Army regime, and so did Family Yin.