Research On Buddhist Sculptures Of The Northern Dynasties In Yecheng Area And Discussion Of Relevant Problems

Buddhist sculptures in Yecheng are an important node in the study of sculptures in the Northern Dynasties.Since 2012,the disclosure of the Buddhist sculptures’ hoard found in Beiwuzhuang has set off another wave of research on Yecheng sculptures,resulting in studies of periodization,comparison-based researches,and explorations of people’s beliefs,which seem to have nothing to discuss.By reviewing the research process,this paper argued that the process of how the sculpture style of Yecheng in the Northern Dynasty was established is worth exploring and the problems related to sculpture-making in the social context of Yecheng need to be discussed.Hence,it primarily required a comparison between movable sculptures and grottoes sculptures under a unified age framework at first.Then,it is ably pointed out that Xiangtangshan Grottoes are influenced by the style of movable sculptures,and once these grottoes were constructed,the new fashion from the grottoes would spread to the craftsmen of movable sculptures.This sort of interactive relationship also could be reflected by the intersection of the two on the level of patrons’ status.Based on the chronological and characteristic connotation of the Yecheng sculptures,the periodizations of sculptures from Qingzhou,Dingzhou,and Bingzhou during the Northern Dynasties were revised.By comparison,the interactive relationships between the styles of the Yecheng sculptures and the three places were clarified.Lastly,this thesis attempted to put the sculptures into the context of Yecheng in the late Northern Dynasties,combining other materials.It can indicate that the Buddhist statue-making and offering activities at this time had been transformed by the public and developed in the direction of specialization and at scale.Also,In the field of material culture,it was common that artworks from different cultures and with different natures to borrow from Buddhism-related relics in composition.The movements of Yecheng are closely related to the central power.Therefore,the attention to Yecheng and the control of the territory under Gao’s power are significant factors impacting its characteristics of material culture.