Zheng Xiaoxue

DOI: 10.64212/QLDD7688

Abstract

During the Northern Wei Dynasty, the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang were excavated, following the excavation of the Yungang Grottoes in Datong. When comparing the statues in the Longmen Grottoes and the Yungang Grottoes, the most prominent difference is that the statues in the Longmen Grottoes present different feminine features. First, the donor figures originally carved on both sides of the inscription on the statue corresponded to men and women, and a special arrangement appeared in the grottoes; second, there are female-centered pictures of worshipping Buddha in the Huangfugong Grottoes; and finally, the statues of Bodhisattvas carved in the caves show feminine characteristics, etc. The period of prosperous female statues in Longmen Grottoes coincided with when Empress Dowager Hu’s power was extremely inflated, and temple construction was also very popular. During the same period, the female figurative sculptures in the Longmen Grottoes share numerous similarities with the Buddhist statues unearthed from the Yongning Temple Pagoda. Both the cave sculptures and temple construction reflect the societal context and political situation of the era, with the feminine attributes portrayed in the sculptures likely influenced by the political power of Empress Dowager Hu.

Key Words

Longmen Grottoes, Northern Wei, female figurative sculptures, Empress Dowager Hu