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Tiangong Louge in Eastern Pure Land Illustrations You & Zhu

a series of seven-treasure platforms rising illustrations of that period, the largest number
floor by floor, which abandons depiction of among the Sutra illustrations. To build rock
the pond, that is, the notion of “meditation on caves, the Cao regime emulated the Central
the water with eight meritorious virtues,” Plains and set up painting academies. “As a
resulting from the reflection of water notion batch of highly skilled craftsmen uniformly
in the Western Pure Land illustrations. By planned and collectively created works, rock
comparing it with Cave 148 that emulates the caves chiseled during the period of the Five
Western Pure Land illustrations [Figure 14], Dynasties and the Northern Song dynasty
.Due to the
it is possible to see the differences. Its front have a unique and united style” [15]
side is comprised of two hall bodies and two uniform style, in this paper, we analyzed
teahouses, and the two hall bodies are tiangong louge of the Cao Painting academy
arranged side by side each with a hip roof. period [Figures 8 and 17], with the Healing
The two teahouses opposite to each other and Master Sutra illustration of Cave 146 in
both have nine-ridge hall roofs. The front and Mogao Caves as an example.
rear courtyards are separated by a corridor,
with the door in the corridor leading to the
rear courtyard. There are three-storey wing
rooms on the left and right of the hall body in
the middle of the rear courtyard. On the left
and right of the courtyard are the bell and
scripture towers.

4.5 Healing Master Sutra Illustration on
the North Wall of Cave 146 in
Dunhuang Mogao Caves (Figure 17, in
the Five Dynasties)
In Dunhuang studies, the late stage refers to
the Five Dynasties (907‒979), Song (960‒
1279), Xixia (1038‒1227), and Yuan (1271‒
1368), spanning four dynasties, but for the
regular pattern governing the development of
Dunhuang artistic style, it is not a simple
dynastic change. Researchers have divided it
into two phases: the Cao Painting Academy
period of the Five Dynasties and the Song
dynasty; the Minority Nationality Regime
period of the Xixia and Yuan dynasties [15,16] .
Not long after the fall of the Tang
dynasty (618‒907), Cao Yijin (?‒935), Figure 17. Healing Master Sutra illustration on the
administrator of Shazhou and deputy regional north wall of Cave 146 in Dunhuang Mogao Caves.
military governor (Jiedushi) of Guiyi Arm, Source: Chinese Rock Cave: Dunhuang Mogao Caves
took over the Zhang Shi regime. The Cao Ⅴ by Dunhuang Academy.
regime lasted five generations, ruling Hexi for
more than 140 years. During this time, it The form of this carve belongs to the
maintained a close relationship with regimes central Buddhist altar back screen type, with
in the Central Plains and preserved four Sutra illustrations on the south wall:
institutions and culture in the Central Plains. Maitreya Sutra, Amitabha Sutra, Saddharma
The Cao family chiseled many new caves and Pundarika Sutra, and Returning Favor Sutra
restored plenty of previous caves. There are illustrations. There are also four illustrations
29 Eastern Healing Master Pure Land on the north wall: Questioning Devas Sutra,

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