Study On Mahā-cundī Buddha Mother Mural Of Datong Shanhua Temple

The Maha-cundi Buddha mother mural on the east of the south wall where is in Main Hall of Datong shanhua temple, a large mural (now moved to the East meeting between the South wall), is drawn in Kangxi period of Qing dynasty. The writer analyzes the wall painting with the Archaeological Typology and finds that it still retains the original style of the Liao, Jin dynasty legacy painting, though it was redrawn in Kangxi period of Qing dynasty. The paper focus on fresco's Subject matter content, the meaning, the function and the times reason why it was drawn on the basis of carefully investigate and examine the image. Therefore, the giant mural should be the result that Wutai mountain Kegon and Esoteric ideology affect in the Datong of Liao, Jin dynasty when it was in the process of various sects of Buddhism competitiveness.This article focuses on the following aspects of the mural researching:First, the upper part of mural painted the zodiac, Central Buddha is based in the middle of fresco,the main bodhi-sattva of main figure's right is Avalokite and Deities, it's left main bodhi-sattva is similar as Maha^-stha^ma-pra^pta and some deities.There are forty-three figures in the mural, contain Buddha, Bodhisattvas and Deities and so on. The fresco show the Scenes of the maha-cundi buddha mother's ashram and the relationships of the maha-cudi buddha mother, Painted sculptures of main hall and others buddha.Second, the study aimed to subject-matter of the mural. The maha-cundi buddha mother as the Bodhisattva who rescues common people and Prolongs their life, the powerful function fulfill the people's different psychological needs, for instance, the maha-cundi buddha mother bless the remember of imperial family and common people, and countries can get good weather, economic prosperity, political stability, but also the ordinary people's willing to achieve, living well, disease and disasters away from them. Thus, the maha-cundi Buddha mother won a wide range of beliefs, all indications show that the maha-cundi Buddha mothe mural is the product that the Avatamsaka and Esoteric ideology affect the Buddhism of Liao, Jin dynasty Datong.Third, the rise of Liao, Jin Datong Buddhism has a unique historical reasons, Datong was the region where always break out war, the common people's life could not be protected, they could not change the reality, only to look for the spiritual support, but the maha-cundi incantation achieved so many common people'belief as it's wide protective function and convenient ashram. As the provisional capital of Liao, and Jin's important city, Datong's economy has a pivotal role for the Liao and Jin Imperial court, the development of farming to provide food for the army of Liao and Jin, commercial, salt and other industries to provide a large number of Liao and Jin's revenue, Royal great efforts to develop buddhism with strong financial security, make the development of buddhism gain the most prosperous in Datong.Avatamsaka was the largest faction in support of Liao's emperor (daozong) in Liao dynasty, Esoteric was larger faction that was affected by Master Jueyuan and Daoshuo, another was Pure Land Sect that was influenced by Master Chunhui. The beginning period of Jin dynasty, the sect of Buddhism was similar as Liao in Datong, Kegon was still the largest faction, Esoteric and Pure Land Sect was continue developing. Afterward, Zen was the largest faction, Kegon and Esoteric ideology was still major Impact to Datong Shanhua temple.The mural includes such many colorful people whose character is diversity. The rich content reflects Kegon and Esoteric ideology system and the development situation of Buddhism in Liao and Jin dynasty Datong,at the same time,it shows the level of economic development and living conditions of the common people in Datong,and provide a valuable reference for the study of history, Buddhism, art and other related fields.