Western Thousand Buddha Caves - Dunhuang

Cave entrance in Western 1000

Western Thousand Buddha CavesYulin caves were on the agenda today, but due to road problems we changed to this grotto.We think these caves are parallel to the Mogao, but this is not clear.Met the director Mr. Fan.

Cave 4 and 5 – Constructed in Sui Dynasty and painted in Tang.  Uighur repainting. Also, in central niche is 4 images of Republic, 1910 painting.

Cave 6 and 7 – Northern Wei; 6th CenturyCorridor for circumambulations around stupa.  Niches on the sides of the stupa for statues.  A mix of Tang and Indian apsaras around the corridor.  Images on the sides of the stupa in corridor quite wonderful.  Presage Roualt and impressionist work by 1400 years.Images with pants showing are not Han, but Hun or Uighur.  Han Chinese are shown with full length gowns with no pants showing.

Cave 9 - Western Wei, 535-557 AD.  This cave is the same period as 249.  Early Tang.  There is a tableau from the Sui Dynasty.

Cave 8 – Northern Zhou, 557-581.  This cave has a central stupa with a corridor for the circumambulation.  Many images along the side walls.  Apsaras are more subtle and more Chinses in style.  However, the Buddha is more Indian in style.

Cave 18 – This is an 8th century cave with the pronounced green color of the period’s works.  There are more complex compositions.  On the Left hand wall, facing the Buddha is Amitabha Pure Land image and on the right hand wall is Medicine Ball Pure Land.Seven caves now totaling forty six caves, and more to come.