More Mogao Caves - A Second Day Tour
Noodle lunch, October 18 2016
Mogao Caves - Second Day I was invited by our guide Lucy to give a brief slide show of prior caves visits to the English speaking guides at Dunhuang. I fortunately had photos from this trip but also stored photos on my computer from prior trips. They could identify each of my photos, from Dunhuang and beyond. They really do study their craft.
Cave 45 – High Tang, 8th Century. It is a square room for larger prayer assembly. All figures in the central niche are original.On the North Wall was the story of Amitabha’s Pure Land. Amitabha can be identified with the Buddha image in the headdress.There was a large nautical story with a large ship image. The ship was prevented from approaching the land because there were monsters on the land. Behind the ship in the water were sea monsters. On the ship the sailors were praying to Buddha.
Cave 285 – Lucy allowed me to prepare a presentation of this cave to her. I had seen a reproduction of this cave at the “Caves of Dunhuang” exhibition at the Getty Museum in July.Precise dating of the cave to 538 to 539 AD due to inscription in cave. It is very well preserved and colors are very bright and clean.This cave is for mediation. There are alcoves on each side of the cave for monks to meditate. There are also statues of monk’s meditation. This cave is similar to the earlier caves in Ajanta, India.The cave has Buddhist, Hindu and Indian images which displays the evolution of Buddhism as it moved from India to China.A large mural on the South Wall is the “Forrest of Recovered Eyesight.” Five hundred robbers, represented in the mural by five figures, are defeated by the army and they are rendered blind. Seeking forgiveness from Buddha they repent and convert. Buddha then restores their eyesight. The moral is that even an evil person who confesses and repents can reach enlightenment.There are also Hindu figures on the front wall including Narayana with three heads and six arms.
Cave 275 – Northern Liang Dynasty, 4th Century, about 386 AD.This is a very early cave displaying the influence of Central Asian art of the period. Clothing is less Chinese, with the central Bodhisattva wearing a dhoti. Also the Bodhisattva is not in a lotus position but in a cross ankle position.
Cave 220 – About 620 AD.The North Wall has a large mural of seven Medicine Buddha’s. The story defines how to worship the Medicine Buddha.The South Wall has the mural of the Amitabha Buddha.
Cave 158 – An 8th Century cave between 781-848.This cave has a large Buddha in paranirvana, leaving the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. The cave is shaped like a coffin.This brings the total of caves to 51. Time to take a breather.