Encyclopedia of Buddhism

China. Thereafter local Buddhists continued to dedi-
cate small chapels until about 520. Carved into the
sandstone cliffs are niches that contain statues of bud-
dhas such as S ́akyamuni and MAITREYA, as well as carv-
ings of other Buddhist motifs. Passageways behind
large statues or the construction of central pillars al-
low for ritual circumambulation. In sculptural style
and iconography, strong Indian and Central Asian in-
fluences commingled with local elements to create a
unique Yun’gang idiom, characterized by a robust fig-
ural form and an archaic smile. This idiom gradually
gave way to a more elongated sinicized style that was
associated with the sinification policies of the North-
ern Wei.

See also:China, Buddhist Art in; Monastic Architec-

ture

Bibliography

Mizuno Seiichi, and Nagahiro Toshio. Unkosekkutsu(Yun’gang

Cave-Temples), 16 vols. Kyoto: Kyoto daigaku jimbun ka-

gaku kenkyusho, 1951–1956.

Su Bai. Zhongguo shikusi yanjiu(A Study of the History of Chi-

nese Cave-Temples). Beijing: Wenwu Press, 1996.

Yungang Cave-Temples Cultural Relics Institute. Yungang shiku

(Yun’gang Cave-Temples), 2 vols. Beijing: Wenwu Press,

1991.

DOROTHYWONG

YUN’GANG