A Study On The Dazu Rock Carvings:A Secular Image Perspective On The Statues Of Buddism Godness Guanyin

With the method of image study, this paper explores the secular style of Dazu Rock Carvings esp. the statues of Buddism godness Guanyin, in physical characteristics, features, forms and artistic features to show the aesthetic characteristics of the statue. Dazu Rock Carvings has an important position in the history of the development of Chinese sculpture, and it is the representative of advanced grotto art in China. Though out is history and also viewed in terms of its location, Dazu rock carvings of Buddhist art evolves to be more related to the human world, the inclination of popularization and secularization are seen. In particular, the art style of the statue of Guanyin has been absorbed into people’s aesthetic searching, becoming one of their dominant aesthetic tastes and aesthetic tendencies. Through out the development of Buddhism statue, from the initial period of masculine a Buddism godness Guanyin, to Wei Jin period androgynous a Buddism godness Guanyin, then to Tang, to a Buddism godness Guanyin plump and gorgeous, to the Song Dynasty, the artistic style of the statues acquired gradually a deep Chinese flavor, resulting the feminine Buddism godness---Guanyin. This paper takes only the evolvement of its aesthetic characteristics of the statues of Guanyin in Dazu Rock Carvings as an example to explore the secular evolvement of it artistic style.The aim of this paper is to study the system in two aspects, viz. the secular characteristics of Buddism godness Guanyin statues and the causes of the formation of Buddism godness Guanyin statues of the aesthetic characteristics of secularization. In the first part, Marek Jankulovski pioneering theories are employed to analyze the secularization of the statues, mainly using the image analysis, image interpretation method, which starts from the analysis of its overall image, its building elements, to its modelling characteristics and other factors. With the analysis, the divine "humanistic" and "secular" features of the statue are revealed, viz. the posture is "engaging and graceful", and it is more human-like in looks and dressing. This analysis also shows that there are the characteristics of universality, systematicity and inheritancity in the evolvement of the statue. Data studies, literature survey, and investigational methods are used in this thesis to work with aesthetic theories and concepts as analytic methods. The study takes the political-economical situation in Ba-Shu region, and its culture, art, religion, into consideration to inquire the aesthetic feature of the statue, and the following conclusions are drawn:(1) the secularization of Buddhist worship sites plays a role in the evolvement, with people taking a more "realistic psychological belief";(2) a unique geographical environment, rich material conditions, a stable political environment, leisure lifestyle in Bashu region enhanced the secularization;(3) the unprecedented development of secular literary formed aesthetic utilitarianism which has given power to the secularization;(4) the Dazu area strong worship to Guanyin in this region helped to secularize the art style.