Buddhist sculptures in the Tan Yao Five Caves: iconographic typology and artistic significance

Abstract

The article provides a comprehensive study of the Buddhist sculptures of the Yungang Grottoes, created during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534) and representing the artistic heritage of the Xianbei ethnic group. The state-religious policy of this empire, its economy, crafts, culture, and art constituted a unique historical and cultural phenomenon that had no analogues among other states of that period. The Yungang sculptural complex, which included representations of five Xianbei emperors, is known as the ‘Five Caves of Tan Yao’. The paper examines the socio-economic, religious, and cultural processes reflected in this outstanding monument, as well as its significance for the evolution of Buddhist sculpture in Eurasia, defining the patterns of development in style, forms, and decorative features. Particular attention is paid to the artistic and architectural characteristics of the complex, its geographical and symbolic context, and its role in the intercultural interaction between the nomadic and sedentary peoples of Central Asia. The research methodology includes historical-cultural, art-historical, comparative-historical, and semiotic approaches. As a result, the main stages and forms of development in Buddhist plastic arts have been identified, the influence of the ‘Buddha – Ruler – Hero’ ideology on the formation of the Northern Wei artistic style has been substantiated, and the specifics of the synthesis of Xianbei, Indian, and Chinese traditions have been demonstrated. The study possesses both theoretical and practical significance for the scientific explanation of aesthetics, symbolism, and ideological interrelations in multi-ethnic Asian sculpture, as well as cultural and artistic ties.