Statues in Four Chinese Grottos

Yungang Grottos
The Buddha statues in the No.8 Grotto-one
with three heads and eight arms and the other with five heads and six arms-have
well-shaped bodies and natural expressions. The Flying
Asparas
statues in No. 7 and No. 9 grottos
convey great strength and are surrounded by lotus flowers. The decorative
patterns in the Yungang Grottos are also very attractive, adding to the
religious atmosphere and demonstrating the majesty and prosperity of the ruling
class of the time.
The Yungang Grottos introduced foreign Buddhist
art imagery but, at the same time, drew on the legacy of the powerful Han
Dynasty
artistic traditions. The
grottos emphasize the statues in their entirety and reveal their inner spirit
and great strength. Being the early focus of Buddhism during the Northern Wei
Dynasty, the Yungang Grottos had great influence on grotto art development in
other Chinese areas.
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