The Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves, a seemingly exotic name called the Kizil Grottoes or Hser Grottoes, are located on a cliff opposite the Chaletag Mountain on the north bank of the Muzati River, seven kilometers southeast of Kyzyl Township, Baicheng County, Xinjiang.
Exterior of the Kizil Caves
It was one of the first national key cultural relics protection units announced in 1961. At present, there are a total of 236 numbered caves, which are splendid cultural relics of the ancient Guzi country.
Location of the Thousand Buddha Caves in Kyzyl
01
The music and dance of the ancient country of Kamezi
The Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves is a Buddhist cave with Buddhist statues and murals, mostly completed between the 3rd and mid-8th centuries AD, the period when Buddhism flourished in the ancient kingdom of Guzi.
Most of the statues in the cave have been destroyed, and some beautiful murals have survived, and the content of the murals is mainly Shakyamuni story paintings such as Bunsen stories, karmic stories and Buddhist stories, and there are about 100 kinds of Bunsen stories and karmic stories, and more than 60 kinds of Buddhist stories, which is known as the "ocean of Buddhist stories".
But what cannot be ignored is that the countless dancing immortals and musicians playing music in the murals are simply like the scene of the Yao Pool of Tiangong. This is the protagonist we want to introduce today - the music and dance painting in the cave of the thousand Buddhas in Kizil.
A still from "Kamezi Dance"
Since the establishment of the Western Regions Protectorate in the Western Han Dynasty, with the exchange of business and trade, dance and music have also hitchhiked and began to communicate with the Central Plains.
The Book of the Later Han Five Elements recorded:
(Han) Ling Emperor Hao Hufu, Hu Tent, Hu Bed, Hu Attendant, Hu Rice, Hu Zheng, Hu Di, Hu Wu, Kyoto Guiqi Jing.
It can be seen that the customs and culture of the Western Regions have become the object of emperors' favor and imitation in the Han Dynasty, and this situation is especially evident in music and dance.
Kyzyl Cave 38 Tiangong Trick
Scholar Gu Yuan once said: "The communication of music and dance has roughly such a pattern: at the beginning, it was the exchange of one instrument, one song, and one dance, and later developed into the entire band and the complete set of instruments, music, song, and dance exchange. ”
At that time, the ancient kingdom of Guzi, which had deep contacts with the Han Dynasty, also influenced each other with the music and dance of the Central Plains between musical instruments and dances, forming its own unique style.
Kyzyl Cave 8 Flying Tricks
Shen Liao's "Turtle Dance" in the Song Dynasty says:
The Guzi dance, the Guzi dance, began in the Han Dynasty into the Le Mansion.
It can be seen that Hu Le and Hu Dance are prevalent in Han Kyoto, and both the royal family and the common people like them very much, and have formed a certain fashion. The Kamezi dance, which was loved by the royal family and nobility, may have become a dance in the court.
Kyzyl Cave 8 Flying Tricks
By the time of the Wei and Jin dynasties, the imperial family and nobles loved the Guzi music and dance, and Emperor Wenxuan of Northern Qi even personally beat the drum and accompany the turtle music when playing the Guzi music.
In the Sui to Tang Dynasty, among the "Seven Parts", "Nine Music" and "Ten Music", seven originated from the Western Regions or were transmitted from the East with the Western Regions as the mediation, and these music and dances were passed down to the court and the people, indicating that the Guzi Music and Dance in the Sui and Tang Dynasties already occupied an important role in court music and dance, and was quite prosperous. The Old Book of Tang Music Chronicle contains:
Guzi Le, worker soap silk cloth turban, scarlet cloth brocade sleeves, crimson pants. Four dancers, red forehead, crimson jacket, white pants, black leather boots. Music uses the vertical flute 1, pipa 1, five-string pipa 1, Sheng 1, horizontal flute 1, Xiao 1, Xiao 1, Mao Yuangu 1, Dutan drum 1, Dala drum 1, Karma drum 1, Jilou drum 1, cymbal 1, Bei 1. Mao Yuangu is dead.
This shows that the application of turtle music is wide, and the performance forms are also very rich, and the number of dancers ranges from as few as four to more than twenty.
Kyzyl Cave 175 Maiki
According to the investigation of documents and murals, we know that the Kamezi music and dance is a comprehensive art body that integrates song, dance and music, with solo dance with instrumental accompaniment, solo accompaniment, ensemble, song and dance music for more than three people, and a small band form similar to folk music and dance or temple sacrifice.
The types of dance can be divided into Huxuan dance, Huteng dance, prop dance, etc., and the calm and strong dance posture is the embodiment of the hearty character of the Guzi people at that time.
Kyzyl Cave 175 Maiki
The prosperity of Guzi music and dance has promoted the development of ancient Chinese dance history, and it is also continued in today's Xinjiang song and dance. Next, let's walk into the Kyzyl Thousand Buddha Cave and enjoy these "only in the sky" turtle dance!
Kyzyl Cave 135 Jile Bodhisattva
02
"This dance should only be in heaven"
Kyzyl means "red" in Uyghur. The name may have been based on a sensual recognition of the beauty of the place that cannot be ignored. The mountains of Chaletag are ochre-red, and they look like rouge against the background of the morning sunset, reflecting the river. A warm red color flows between heaven and earth, and the name "Kizil" is well deserved.
Statue of Domoroshi in front of the Kizil Caves
The general direction of the caves is east-west, stretching for about 3,000 meters, and the caves are divided into four areas: Guxi, Gunei, Gudong and Houshan. This is the largest cave complex in the Guzi Grottoes and has the largest preserved area of murals. In 1961, the Kizil Caves were listed as a national key cultural relic protection unit; In 2014, the Kizil Caves were inscribed on the World Heritage List.
Cave 83 of Kyzyl is now in the collection of the Museum of Asian Art in Berlin, Germany
This grotto in the desert also bears witness to the nobility, fragility and ugliness of human nature. Thousands of years ago, people knelt down religiously, looked up at a statue of joy, anger or sorrow, or hid in caves to keep warm, and the fire blackened the bodhisattva's dress, and the bodhisattva had not opened the lotus mouth, but he was still crossing the hardships of all sentient beings.
A national treasure that has been cut off
A hundred years ago, greedy foreign faces came here, although they did relatively complete research on the Kyzyl caves, leaving some precious materials. But they also scrutinized, touched and even stole statues and frescoes with impunity, leaving indelible scars on the Kizil Caves.
The nicks left by the theft are still clear
At the beginning of the 20th century, many European expeditions took away many cave relics in China by sabotage under the guise of "expedition".
A Kaye head from the Asian Art Museum in Berlin is extant
In the past, Stein in England and Berch in France stole a large number of documents and frescoes in the Mogao Caves, and later there were German Lekirk who stole a large number of murals in Kizil. There are even locals in every plunder. In the past, there was the king's round basket who sold scriptures to Stein, and then there was Sawut, who provided food and lodging for Lekirk.
Two murals from Cave 77 in Kyzyl are also preserved at the Museum of Asian Art in Berlin
These incomplete squares are all evidence of being snatched and the world has changed, but the bodhisattva in the painting is as old as before, without sorrow or joy.
The frescoes of the Kizil Caves have been repainted over time, and traces of secondary or tertiary paintings are evident on the walls of some cave chambers. The remains of the mural are roughly divided into four periods: the initial period, the development period, the prosperity period and the decline period. The music and dance displayed in each period have nuances and different styles.
Start-up period
The late 3rd and mid-4th centuries AD were the first period of Kizil cave art. Related caves from this period are Caves 18, 92, 77, 47, 48, and 117.
Top of Cave 77
The initial period and development period of the Kizil Caves coincided with the turbulent period from the Three Kingdoms to the Wei and Jin dynasties, and the Book of Jin, Xijong records:
Guizi country went west to Luoyang 8,280 li, there is a common city Guo, its city is threefold, there are thousands of pagodas and temples. People are engaged in farming and animal husbandry, and both men and women are prosperous. The royal palace is magnificent and rejuvenated.
During this period, the "magnificent royal palace, like a divine residence" of the Guzi Kingdom, its music and dance art level was quite high. It is reflected in Cave 77, which is painted during this period.
Cave 77 walls
The main mural of this cave is the Tiangong Trick Le Tu, located in Guxi District, on the east side of Cave 76. This cave is the Great Elephant Cave, which German explorers call "Elephant Cave". Most of the main chamber has collapsed, leaving only the left and right tunnels and the back room.
Flat and sectional view of Cave 77 of the Kizil Caves
Source: Briefing on the investigation of Cave 77 of the Kizil Caves
Jia Weijia Turpan studies. 2020(01)
The inner and outer walls of the left and right Yong Dao are respectively painted with Maitreya sayings, the top of the ticket is painted with mountain and forest meditation maps, and the back room is respectively painted with different images of Gandhara art, and its lù roof architectural shape is the only one in the Guzi Grottoes.
Painted heads unearthed from Cave 77
5th-6th centuries AD
Collection of the Asian Art Museum, Berlin
We will focus on the "Maitreya Bodhisattva Dou Tiangong Sayings Map" painted on the left Yong Dao and is more related to music and dance, in the upper part of which is painted a brown railing, in the middle of the railing is the main image of Maitreya Bodhisattva, Maitreya Bodhisattva's posture is sitting cross-legged on a grass ball.
Maitreya and Brahma
To the left of Maitreya is Brahma, who stands in a curved posture with a painted bun on his head and a lighted head, dressed in a flowing white robe that exposes his left shoulder, and a streamer that is also white on his body, holding a lotus flower with his hands folded.
Dancing in heaven
On the left side of Brahma are drawn in turn three Lotte Beings, each of which has a headlight, wearing a crown, a bingulo, and an arm, the upper body is naked, draped in brocade, and the lower body is wearing a large skirt with a tie at the waist. The first two celestial figures appear to be dancing; The third is a musician who is playing the pan flute.
The rest of the Heavenly Palace tricks
The poses of these optimists are not arranged like models and placed there waiting for the craftsman to draw, but the craftsman's mind automatically plays the dancer's dance posture and the "capture" in his own mind.
In addition, none of the clothes on their bodies are quietly attached to their bodies, but flying, as if they will come to life in the next second and dance in front of everyone.
Vajra God and Trick Rakuten
On the right side of Maitreya Bodhisattva stands Emperor Shitian, his body is also standing in a curved posture, he also has a head light behind him, he wears a crown on his head, the streamer on his body is ochre, he wears an armband on his upper arm, and he also holds a lotus flower with his hands together.
Emperor Shi Tian and male Tianren
The right side of Di Shitian painted three Lotte people in turn, the first two were male Tianren, with a brown and a white complexion, and the third was a female Tianren, holding a black parrot in his right hand.
The latter two are heavenly people
In addition, there is also a "dancer" in Zuo Yong Road, and the dance posture is also very beautiful, the expression is crying or laughing, it should be immersed in the dance, unable to extricate himself. He waved a white silk drape in his hand, one hand on the top and the other on the bottom, as if a dance had just reached the middle of the dance.
Dancers
The figures in paintings of this period have a distinctly foreign style, especially influenced by Gandhara plastic arts. The flying sky and trick lotte shape is slightly rough, the body is relatively simple, but very imposing.
Development period
The development period (mid-4th century ~ late 5th century) is the period when the main characteristics of the Guzi cave art mode are formed. The related caves are Caves 38, 76, 83, 84, 114, 12, 32, 171, 172.
The main wall of Cave 38
Source: Investigation briefing on Caves 38 to 40 of the Kizil Grottoes in Baicheng County, Xinjiang
Miao Lihui, Tan Linhuai, Xiao Yun, Pang Jian
Journal of the National Museum of China. 2018(05)
Taking Cave 38 as an example, the German name of this cave is "Trick Cave", which shows that the murals in this cave are mainly Jile paintings, the overall color is relatively gorgeous, and the painting techniques are also very exquisite.
Cave 38 says Fatu
Among them, the music and dance are quite beautiful, there are many types, and there are various musical instruments, some of which are imported from West Asia, Central Asia and India.
Cave 38: The left side of the main chamber and the parietal midridge of the main chamber
The murals in this cave are mainly concentrated on the left and right side walls, and their layout is basically symmetrical and identical. There are a total of fourteen groups of Tiangong tricks on the two side walls, seven groups on each wall. Each group is basically a man and a woman, standing on a square railing.
The left wall of the main room of Cave 38 is a Tengu trick
Source: Investigation briefing on Caves 38 to 40 of the Kizil Grottoes in Baicheng County, Xinjiang
Miao Lihui, Tan Linhuai, Xiao Yun, Pang Jian
Journal of the National Museum of China. 2018(05)
Both men and women wear bare arms, male celestial people wear crowns on their heads and hair and shawls, and female celestial people or updo beards (mán, meaning decorative garlands) or beaded hat crown flowers, they all wear bead rings and armbands, and some also wear large earrings.
The right wall of the main chamber of Cave 38 says the Iro Dragon King in the picture
Source: Investigation briefing on Caves 38 to 40 of the Kizil Grottoes in Baicheng County, Xinjiang
Miao Lihui, Tan Linhuai, Xiao Yun, Pang Jian
Journal of the National Museum of China. 2018(05)
By this period, the painting style had developed in the direction of nationalization of the region, and the emphasis on blending was a characteristic of the painting techniques of this period.
Most of the figures in the mural have rounded heads, broad and flat frontal bones, concentrated facial features, and typical head shape characteristics of the Guzi people, with well-proportioned figures and slender legs, and the proportions are closer to real people than in previous periods.
It can be seen as a diamond-shaped painting
In addition, with the emergence of the central pillar cave during this period, the rhombus painting became the basic compositional form of the roof of the main chamber. The figuration has also changed from rough and simple to delicate and soft.
Peak season
During the prosperous period (6~7th century AD), the related caves were 80, 110, 212, 8 and so on.
In the 6th and 7th centuries, the Tang Dynasty rose. Looking at the world at that time, after the decline of the Roman Empire in the West, it entered a long dark Middle Ages, and economic development and society almost stagnated. So by the time of prosperity, the figure has become completely turtle-faced—the face is more rounded, the bridge of the nose is straight, and it is close to the lips.
Cave 8 Flying Trick
At the same time, the Tang Dynasty was also the golden period of Guzi music and dance, and the Tang Dynasty poet Yuan Shu "Lianchang Palace Words" once said:
The tour was all over Liangzhou, and the color turtle was booming.
The magnificence and grace of the Tang Dynasty also influenced the Guzi Dance, and the costumes of the characters in the murals of this period were more ornate and the clothes were relatively soft, like tulle.
It can be seen that the accessories on these figures and the accessories on their heads, as well as the details of their clothing, are more than in the previous two periods (Cave 8)
Take the remnants of the front wall of the main chamber of Cave 8 as an example, there is a group of turtle flying heavens, this group of flying heavens can be regarded as one of the best of all the existing turtle flying heavens.
Scatter flowers into the sky
This group of flying heavens is arranged up and down, and the upper flying sky is a female figure wearing a blue corset, thin waist, plump, and a tray of scattered flowers; The lower part of the flying sky is a four-muscular male figure with a belly and a strong body, playing a five-string lute.
Flying sky playing a five-string lute
The expressions of these two flying bodies tend to be stable, basically have faded the simple and rough characteristics, but highlight the delicate lightness, even some sense of fragmentation, and the color of the clothes is more vivid.
Let's move on to see other beautiful frescoes in the Kyzyl Caves.
Kyzyl Cave 8 Mural of Prince Tocharia
Collection of the Museum of Asian Art, Berlin
Cave 123 in Kyzyl The transfiguration of a thousand Buddhas
The main chamber of Cave 17 in Kyzyl is on top of the Sab burning arm to lead the way
Trick Lotte Man
Nirvana diagram
Kyzyl Cave 38 Goldfinch
Kyzyl Cave 118 Entertainment Prince Map (Copy)
Cave 171 of Kyzyl Devadatta smashes Buddha
Kyzyl Cave 171 Deer Garden
Cave 17 of Kyzyl Woodcutters betrayed grace
Kyzyl Cave 8 Female dancer converted
Kyzyl Cave 17 Main Room Ticket Top Lingge Bunsen Story
The top of the main chamber of Cave 172 in Kyzyl Celestial phase diagram and the story of Lingge karma
The right wall of the main chamber of Cave 110 in Kyzyl Buddhist story "Night Goes to the City"
The outer wall of the right Yong Road in Cave 8 of Kyzyl is a supporter
Collection of the Museum of Asian Art, Berlin
03
epilogue
Ernst Cassirer once said, "Only art gives us order in its grasp of the visible, the touchable, the audible appearance." Perhaps the world was indeed disorderly and chaotic at the beginning of its birth, a dark swamp, and then art is a rose blooming in this swamp. These thousands of roses will eventually bring order and dawn to this swamp.
The article is not easy to make, please do not reprint without permission~