Figure 1 Indian Buddhist ruins "Abstract of Buddhist Grottoes Archaeology" Sakyamuni founded Buddhism in 500 BC, but in the past two or three hundred years, no carvings that clearly express Buddhist content were found. (Figure 1) Figure 2 When Ashoka's Stone Pillar Ashoka's King

Figure 1 Indian Buddhist ruins "Abstract of Buddhist Grottoes Archaeology"

Sakyamuni founded Buddhism in 500 BC, but in the past two or three hundred years since then, no carvings that clearly express Buddhist content have been found. (Figure 1)

Figure 2 Ashoka stone pillar

Mogadah King of the Mauryan dynasty Ashoka reign (former? - 232 years), the territory expanded and unified most of India except for a corner of the south. After he conquered the Jielingjia Kingdom in 261 BC, he announced his belief in Buddhism. King Ashoka sent people to preach missions everywhere, built temples and pagodas, and issued many decrees carved on stone pillars and cliffs.

Figure 2 Ashoka Stone Pillar (1)

Figure 2 Ashoka Stone Pillar (2)

Ashoka Stone Pillar has dozens of leftovers. The most famous one is the head of the four lions standing in Deer Garden ( Sakyamuni first statement). It is made of Chunal stone produced near Panaraurus and is brown. It has four lions on the top of the pillar, with a long lotus braid on the stone mount. The stone mount is carved with Dharma wheels, bulls, elephants, and horses, which symbolize the vastness of Buddhism and promote the four directions. This stigma has been used as the national emblem of India. The polishing technique of the form and surface of the stone pillar is believed to be influenced by ancient Persian . This is because the Macedonian king of Greece Alexander (356-323 BC) invaded India after conquering Persia in 326 BC. Although the time was very short, it took the Greek and Persian artistic styles to take root in India. (Figure 2)

Figure 3 Yaksha goddess

Figure 3 Yaksha goddess (1)

The portrait carvings of the circumstance and post-BC currently discovered are mostly elves worshipped by Indian folk - male Yaksha and Yaksha women. Among them, the most respected is the girl Yaosha. She is an elf living in the holy tree, and a god of prayer and protection for human abundance and childbirth. The most famous one is the female yaki statue (212 cm tall) unearthed from Batna (the capital of the Mauryan Dynasty, known as Fahrenheit City in ancient times). She held a brush in one hand and her body was very fleshy, fully expressing the image of a goddess of abundant yield and breeding. The male Yaosha are also the majestic image of the guardian god of the earth. When Buddhism emerged, the male and female Yaokha were also regarded as gods in Buddhism, but at this time these Yaokha statues could not be said to be gods in the true Buddhist meaning. (Figure 3)

0 years after King Ashoka's death, the Mauryan Dynasty split, and a Brahmin-born general named Xunga usurped the throne and established the Xunga Dynasty (185-73 BC). However, his territory was smaller than that of the Mauryan Dynasty, and he only had the middle and lower reaches of the Ganges.

The most representative pagoda built during this period is the Balhut Stupa, about 160 kilometers southwest of . This pagoda no longer exists, but the remaining stone pillars carved in dark red sandstone are carved on the railings, with rich pictures of Buddha's life stories and Buddhist missionary stories.

According to the concept at that time, Sakyamuni had become Buddha and entered the state of passing away. He could no longer be reincarnated in the human world. Therefore, the image of Buddha cannot appear directly in art, but uses Bodhi tree (realization under the tree), Dharma wheel (preaching), Buddha footprints (passing preaching), throne (demon subduing), umbrella (Buddha), Indian pagoda (nirvana) and other specific objects to symbolize the existence of the Buddha.

Figure 4 The characters, animals, plants, utensils, etc. unearthed in the Bodhi tree in the Balhut

The characters, animals, plants, utensils on the railings are very wonderfully carved. The relief "Ride in the Elephant into the Fetus" in the disc-shaped composition, and the Buddhist story of "Deer King Bensheng" has become an early pattern for examining Buddhist art on such topics. The decorative patterns are most popular with round and semicircular lotus patterns. (Figure 4)

When Ashoka was preaching the Dharma, it is said that 84,000 Buddha relics were built, with the most eye-catching several relics built in Shanqi, central India (old translation of Sangzhi - 50 kilometers northeast of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh). Especially the four archway-style doors of the First Tower and the reliefs of the stone railings have become a milestone work for the study of Indian Buddhist carvings because of their rich content, grand scenes and exquisite techniques.These stone sculptures were replaced by the Andalus peoples (the Andalus Kingdom was a central Indian kingdom built in 28 BC and split after the 3rd century) when they expanded the pagoda.

Figure 5 Shanqi Tower and Pagoda Gate

Figure 5 Shanqi Tower and Pagoda Gate (1)

The carving of Shanqi Tower Gate still follows the Buddha's tradition. The beams and pillars are full of stories of Buddha's legends and stories of the first generation. Famous stories such as "Zhu Dana's alms", "Zhanzi Bensheng", " Six Tooth White Elephant Bensheng" and other stories are well known. The picture composition is extremely plump, with dense crowds, strict decorations of treasures, gorgeous chariots and horses, magnificent pavilions and other banner reliefs, appearing in this world like customary paintings 2,000 years ago. Although the details of its technique are still believed to have traces of Greek and Persian influence, they should mainly be a manifestation of aesthetic tastes in India. (Figure 5)

Figure 6 The female-yaocha supported by the tower gate

What is amazing is the suspended female-yaocha located at the triangular position where the tower gate column and the beam cross the tower gate. She cleverly climbed and supported the holy tree. The twisting curve of her body is as elastic as the branches of a plant, full of dynamic and vitality. The human body beauty represented by the S-shaped waist has become the highest example of Indian women's beauty. (Figure 6)

The Amalawati Pagoda in southern India was also established when Ashoka promoted Buddhism. It was also expanded and fenced by the Andalans around 150-200 AD. It is carved using a locally produced blue-white limestone . It directly inherits the techniques of Balhut and Shanqi in terms of artistic style, further fully reflecting the early national art traditions of India.

The maturity of Amalawati sculpture is particularly reflected in the human body. Its body proportions are comfortable, the curves are graceful, and the posture is vivid. The blue-white stone gives people a sense of smoothness, delicateness and elegant beauty like ivory carvings. The carvings of animals, lotus, vines, buildings, etc. are also slender and gorgeous, and are engraved into the microscope.

Figure 7 The Amarawati school was born under the tree

The theme of Amarawati carving is mostly reliefs of the content of the Buddha's biography, and the story of the Bunsheng is " Scipi Wang Bensheng ", and the "Six Tooth White Elephant Bensheng" is eye-catching. The composition form is also different from Shanqi's continuous picture composition, but strives to express the depth of space, especially the circular composition with overlapping background characters, animals, houses, etc., and the diagonal lines of its throne have used the law of vertical perspective. (Figure 7) The above-mentioned carved Buddhas of

are not on the scene. By the 2nd century AD, the concrete statue of Shakyamuni Buddha began to appear, which was mainly influenced by the sculptures of Gandhara in Northwest India.

Above we are introducing Buddhist historic sites in northern and northern India and southern India, and point out that they are influenced by Greece and Persia to varying degrees.

Figure 8 Schaeve's double god transformation 3rd century

In 326 BC, Alexander, the Greek king of Macedonia, led his army to defeat Persia and enter the Mesopotamia basin and occupied the Kabul basin and Punjab . The state established by the Greeks in this area, which was called Daxia (Bactraya) in ancient my country. In the 1st century AD, the Scythians in Central Asia (part of them were the Great Yuezhi people who moved westward from the original nomads in the northwest of my country) and established the Kushan Kingdom in the former Greeks ruled by the former Greeks in eastern Iran and northwestern India (now Pakistan, Afghanistan ). This area is also commonly known as Gandhara (in the Han Dynasty, this area was called 李大子, and the center was Peshawar in Pakistan).

Figure 9 The Bodhisattva holding a water bottle 2-3rd century

The third generation of Kushan king Kaynesega (reigned about 125-129 years) believed in Buddhism, built temples and pagodas in the territory and carved Buddha statues.Because this area is deeply influenced by Greek culture, the sculptures of Buddha statues may also involve craftsmen from the descendants of Greeks, so the Buddha statues here have a strong Greek style, or they modify and embellish the gods of the original Greek mythology and embellish some Buddhist symbols, that is, they become Buddhas, Maitreya Bodhisattva or other gods. (For example, using the flesh bun, white hair and other thirty-two forms represent Sakyamuni, Aquarius represents Maitreya Bodhisattva, etc.), this Hellenistic Buddha statue is called Gandhara Buddhist art.

Figure 10 The head of the Bodhisattva in the 3rd century

In recent years, some Japanese scholars believe that in the past, Western scholars overemphasized the influence of Greek culture on Gandhara Buddhist art. In fact, the appearance of the so-called Ancient Greek statue is nothing more than the faces of ancient Gandhara native kings and nobles. This image is very common among Punjabi people in Pakistan and India.

Figure 11 The Bodhisattva's statue 3rd to 4th century

Although the academic community has been arguing about where to make Buddha statues first, Gandhara, which was originally Gandhara, or Matula (old work Matula , Delhi , another carving center known as Gandhara) was the first to make Buddha statues, but the overwhelming opinion was that the Buddha statues were first made in Gandhara. This was mainly derived from the Greek concept of the unity of man and god, and the Buddha no longer used metaphor to suggest them.

Figure 12 The Buddha's seated statue in the 3rd century

Gandhara Buddha statue is mostly carved with gray-green rocks produced locally. The Buddha statue is characterized by a wavy bun (screwed hair was occasionally seen in the later period, and it is believed that it was influenced by the horse-tou Buddha statue). The nose bridge is in a straight line with the forehead, deep eye sockets, thin lips, and white hair symbolizing wisdom between the eyebrows (one of the thirty-two figures). She is wearing a shoulder-shaped coat, with a deep fold, emphasizing a realistic sense, similar to a Greek robe. Behind me is the light back of the sun god introduced from Greece.

After the 4th century, the Buddha statue became short, thick and heavy. Later, the statues mostly exposed their right shoulders, and the clothes tended to be formulaic, and the clothes were also close to the body as if they were water-like. This water-like clothes pattern was fully developed in the Gupta era (320-600 years), and the clothes pattern was more formal and patterned. (Figure 8-13)

Figure 14 Relief Buddha sitting statue in Mahao Cliff tomb in Sichuan

Gandhara Buddhist art has a huge impact on the early Buddhist art of my country. Its influence can be seen from the relief of Mahaoxiangtang Buddha statues in Leshan, Sichuan in recent years, the bronze statues of the Sixteen Kingdoms and even the Yungang Grottoes in the Northern Wei Dynasty. (Figure 14)

In Central Asia and Xinjiang, my country, there were many clay Buddha statues in the 6th and 7th centuries. It presents the style of Gandhara's Westernization.

There are two centers of carving in the Kushan era and Gupta era. In addition to Gandhara, the carving of Matula can be called another carving system.

Matula is located slightly west of northern India. Stone carvings are mostly made of orange-red spotted rocks produced in this area. Although the Matula area was also infected by Greek culture, the native sculpture tradition in India is deeper. When Gandhara began to create Buddha statues in the 2nd century, this trend may have also infected Matula.

Figure 15 King Kanasega Three Years Bodhisattva standing statue

The early Matula statue still avoided the Buddha's appearance directly. The Buddha statue unearthed from the Karnath (the inscription is the statue of King Kanasega 3 Years Bodhisattva) is majestic, as if he is a heroic martial artist, but according to the inscription "Bodhisattva", it is believed that the Buddha still avoids the appearance of the Buddha. (Figure 15)

Figure 16 Ma Tula's Buddha's portrait 3rd to 4th century

Figure 17 Ma Tula's Buddha's portrait 4th century

Figure 17 Ma Tula's Buddha's portrait 4th century (1)

Figure 18 The Buddha's portrait of Ma Tula in the 4th to 5th century

In the Gupta era, the Buddha's portrait of Ma Tula was mostly right-handed snail hair (one of the thirty-two figures), with long eyebrows, low eyes, slightly thicker lips than Gandhara, no beard, large ears, and three folds on the neck (Gandhara Buddha statues may have no folds or two folds).Although the direction of the shoulder-length robe pattern is consistent with that of Gandhara, the realistic three-dimensional folds have turned into patterned patterns, arranged in a U-shaped and equidistant manner, and the patterns look like bulging round ropes. The texture of the coat is very thin and transparent, making the torso appear watery. The limbs are slender in proportion and tall in shape, which is contrary to the heavy and bloated feeling of the statue of Gandhara Buddha. (Figure 16-18)

The Buddha statue of Gandhara is plain and has a small diameter. The statue of Matu La Buddha has become a huge carved and gorgeous backlight. The female body carved by Ma Tula is very fleshy and likes to use S-shaped curves.

It can be said that the Matula Buddha statue in the Gupta era has completed the Indianization of the Buddha statue and has become the highest example of the beauty of Indian Buddha statues. Another style that was contemporary to the statue of Matula Buddha is the Sarnathian style. Sarnath is located near Panarese in the middle of the Ganges River, where Deer Garden, the first place to preach after Shakyamuni achieved enlightenment.

The Buddha statue of Sarnath also belongs to the Matula series, probably because of the geographically more southern and hot climate. The coat of Sarnath Buddha statue is thinner and transparent than that of Matula, with almost no clothes pattern. It seems to be a naked body. Only the edge lines of the coat are symbolically carved at the collar, cuffs and feet, indicating that there is a coat.

The gradual deterioration of coat carving from north to south shows that Indian artisans themselves are not good at and do not like to carve clothes. They are best at the human body, so they gradually move from realistic techniques to patterning and even removing clothes patterns, which ultimately completely reflects India's national aesthetic taste.

Sarnat Buddha statue has a well-proportioned proportion, full shoulders, and the overall shape is extremely concise and subtle, but the light back pattern and the carvings of the Buddha's throne are extremely complex and gorgeous, which contrasts the soft and roundness of the Buddha's human body, giving people the beauty of elegance and tranquility.

Figure 19 The statue of the 5th century

Figure 20 The head of the 5th century

Figure 21 The saying of the 5th century

Figure 21 The 5th century

The sarnath Buddha statue of the 5th century

The clothesless Buddha statue of the Sarnath Buddha has a great influence on the Buddha statue of the Northern Qi Dynasty in my country. A typical example is the stone Buddha statue carved in Quyang, Hebei. The coat is almost no scribbling. It can be seen that this carving form is obviously influenced by the style of the Sarnath Buddha statue. The painter of the Northern Qi Dynasty Cao Zhongda was also famous for painting thin-clothed Buddha statues, so-called " Cao Yi out of the water". (Figure 19-21)

There are many cave pagoda temples in India, and the Ajanta Caves are comparable to the Shanqi Tower. In addition, the Elora Caves and the Aurangabad Caves also occupy an important position in the history of Indian Buddhist art.

Ajanta Caves are located in a mountain 300 kilometers northeast of Mumbai on the west coast of India. The Buddha statues of the Gupta era also belong to the Sarnathian style. The Buddha statues in the cave are all Buddha statues with their legs hanging down. This kind of Buddha statue has a great influence on the , Tang Dynasty, and Buddha statues in my country.

Figure 22 Exterior of Ajanta Caves

Figure 23 Ajanta Caves mural Lotus Hand Bodhisattva

Figure 24 Ajanta Caves leaning on Buddha statues in Aolangabad Caves

The most representative of Ajanta Caves is the mural, and the famous Lotus Hand Guanyin can also be said to be a masterpiece in the history of art. The eminent monk of the Tang Dynasty in my country, Xuanzang , also came here to tour and included it in "The Record of the Western Regions of the Great Tang Dynasty". (Figure 22-24)

Figure 25 The Buddha's enlightenment image in the 9th century

Figure 26 The Buddha's standing image in the 10th century

Figure 27 Lotus hand Guanyin 10th century

html From the 38th century to the mid-12th century, the Bala dynasty lasted for about 400 years, and at this time most Buddhism had been transformed into Hindu . The Bala Dynasty became the last base for Buddhist art because of its enthusiasm for promoting Buddhism.

Most of the carvings of the Bala era were black basalt , with a smooth and firm surface. Its style can be said to inherit the art of the Gupta era, but it has become more formal and standardized, and the Buddha statues are more rigid in shape. Traditional Sakyamuni statues and Buddha images have gradually decreased, and the number of various wrathful Buddha statues has increased due to Hinduism.(Figure 25-27)

Figure 28 Intercourse Picture 11th century

After the Middle Ages, Hindu art began to develop. Hindu worshipped Brahma , the three main gods of Shiva and Vishnu, , and the most common ones are. It is very popular to use the worship of the genital instruments of Lord Shiva ( Shiva Linga) and the carvings of men and women. On the outer wall of the pagoda temple in Kajulaho, there are a large number of carvings of men and women. They are strange and weird, and are actually the last part of Indian carvings. The image of men and women having sex is Nepal , and the so-called origin of the Buddha's joy in Tibetan Buddhism . (Figure 28)

The carvings of the Bala Dynasty can be seen in the tantric sculptures of the Tang Dynasty in my country. Especially after the Song and Yuan dynasties, Tibetan Buddhist art was greatly influenced by the artistic style of the Bala Dynasty and has continued to rise to this day.