Source: Xinhua Viewpoint
Muscles tensed and looked back in horror, and a frightened bison chased by a hunter's horse jumped in front of him.
This most representative hunting map of the Mogao Caves was painted in the Western Wei Dynasty more than 1400 years ago. Compared with the proficiency of Tang Dynasty murals, early murals are more imaginative and original in beauty.
Frightened bison in Cave 249 of Mogao Caves. Courtesy of Dunhuang Research Institute
"With just a few strokes, the ancient painters sketched the tension of hunting in the mountains and forests and the majestic posture of bison." Yang Xiuqing, a research librarian at the Dunhuang Research Institute, said. Some Western researchers believe that this mural is similar to the 19th century Impressionist painting, not demanding details, focusing on creating an overall atmosphere.
Yang Xiuqing introduced that there are many pictures of cattle in the Dunhuang murals. Ancient painters drew extensively from nature, social production, and Buddhist stories to create cattle in different forms.
Farmers wield whips, cattle plow the land, and the rain farming map of Cave 23 of Mogao Caves depicts the farming life of the Tang Dynasty. In the frescoes in Cave 445, the cattle ploughing the land is made of the advanced production tools of the time.
Map of rain farming in Cave 23 of Mogao Caves. Courtesy of Dunhuang Research Institute
In the Dunhuang murals, many of the pictures related to cattle are related to Buddhist stories. In Cave 148, there is a mural of the Cow King saving the Prince. In the picture, a herd of cattle surrounds a man lying on the ground, and the cow king licks his eyes.
Yang Xiuqing said that the mural tells a story of goodness. There are two princes in the country of Lishiba, good friends and evil friends. In order to find treasure for the people, the two went out to sea for an adventure and finally found the Mani Orb. Unexpectedly, the evil friend prince was evil-hearted, and even took away the orb and blinded his brother's eyes. The kind ox king, after seeing the good friend prince who had fainted from hunger, gently licked his eyes and licked the thorn out.
Mogao Caves Cave 148 Cave Cow King saves the prince. Courtesy of Dunhuang Research Institute
The cattle in the Dunhuang murals also have an "exotic style". In the Yongdao of Cave 61 of the Mogao Caves, it is painted with the "Zodiac", which is often called "Zodiac" today, and Taurus is among them.
Mogao Cave Cave 61 Taurus. Courtesy of Dunhuang Research Institute
Watching the heavens and taking advantage of the auspicious is a way for ancient humans to understand the world. Yang Xiuqing said: "China has twenty-eight stars, and the West has the zodiac. The latter was introduced to China during the Tang Dynasty. This mural is an illustration of the cultural exchange between the East and the West. ”
Yang Xiuqing said that Dunhuang is located at the intersection of diverse civilizations, and the "cattle map" reflects the innovative integration and eclectic characteristics of Dunhuang culture. This is also the code for the creative transformation and innovative development of China's excellent traditional culture today.
Reporter: Zhang Yujie, Zhang Rui