佛殿的象征——山西大同仝家湾北魏佛教壁画石椁

仝家湾北魏邢合姜墓石椁四壁、顶部及椁门外两侧均绘有佛教壁画,模拟了作为礼拜供养场所的佛殿或佛殿窟。从椁门外两侧的护法门神开始;之后是椁内礼拜的中心——正壁释迦多宝佛和两侧佛像,突出了《法华经》信仰和法华观法;接着为左右壁的佛像;最后为前壁上方的七佛,为礼拜者观佛、获得佛心作证,下部的二神兽则作为镇墓兽。石椁壁画的构成与绘画技法主要与炳灵寺第169窟西秦壁画有密切关系,推测其粉本可能源于长安。另外石椁壁画也有凉州系统石窟壁画的因素,甚至包括西域的影响,充分反映了丝绸之路与平城地区的佛教文化有着频繁的交流和密切的关系。

A Symbolic Dharma Hall: The Stone Chamber with Buddhist Murals of the Northern Wei Dynasty in Tongjiawan,Datong, Shanxi

Buddhist murals were found on the inner walls and top and both sides outside the door of the stone chamber in Xing Hejiang’s tomb of the Northern Wei Dynasty in Tongjiawan Village, simulating the dharma hall or dharma-hall cave that as worship places. Door guardians were painted on both outer sides of the chamber door. The Buddha Shakyamuni and Prabhutaratna, and other buddhas aside were painted at the center of the worship space-the main wall of the inner chamber, highlighting the belief in the Lotus Sutra and its dharma view. Buddhist figures are also on the left and right walls of the inner chamber. Finally, on the top of the front wall, the Seven Buddhas function as witnesses of worshipers who show reverence and adoration for buddhas, two tomb-guarding beasts decorated below. The composition and painting techniques of the stone chamber murals are closely related to the Western Qin murals in Cave 169 of the Bingling Temple, and the motif prototype may originate from Chang’an. Moreover, the murals also show elements of grotto murals of the Liangzhou system and even have the Western Regions influence, fully reflecting the frequent communication and close relationship of the Buddhist culture between the Silk Road and the Pingcheng areas.