Maiji, timeless mountain (Tianshui)

Updated: 2005-04-16
( chinadaily.com.cn )

Maiji Mountain, Tianshui city of Gansu province. Provided to Chinadaily.cm.cn

Maiji Mountain Grottoes, as well as the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, Gansu province, Yungang Caves in Shanxi province, and the Longmen Grottoes in Henan province were listed as the four most important grottoes in China.The Maiji Mountain Grottoes are distinct from the other three as they showcase exquisite sculptures and are known as the "Oriental Sculpture Museum” for their numerous grottoes, perfect statues and long history.[Photo/icpress]

Near the eastern end of the ancient Silk Road on the loess plateau in Gansu lies the town of Tianshui, whose Maiji Mountain grottoes remain eternally graceful and captivating.

Tianshui meaning "Water from the Heavenly River," refers to the beginning of life and civilization according to a legend of which the grottoes are an integral part.

A Buddhist sculpture art exhibition hall, a glittering pearl on the Silk Road, the grottoes are also a treasure house of cultural heritage. Over a period of more than 1,000 years from the 3rd century to the 14th century AD on the beautiful peak, over 140 metres above sea level, the ancestors of Tianshui dug more than 200 grottoes. They sculpted Buddhist effigies to express their respect of Buddhism and understanding of life. Wooden walkways connect the caves, which from a distance resemble the ladders to the heavens of Buddhist tales.

In the numerous grottoes, there are over 9,000 delicate and mysterious statues of Buddhas and Buddhists resting serenely to enjoy the pleasures of their followers' worship, the burning of joss sticks and candles, and expressing a concern for the world and all living things.

Cultural exchanges

Buddhism began to be introduced into China during the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220), following the ever frequent exchanges along the silk Road.

A number of stunning icons were built, in particular along the affluent Silk Road. Other grottoes in Gansu are the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, Jiuguan Wenshu Mountain Grottoes, Anxi Yulin Grottoes, Zhangye Ladder Grottoes, Qingyang North Stone Grottoes, Jinchuan South Stone Grottoes. The Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes and Maiji Mountain Grottoes are, however, the largest.

It was as if the craftsmen of old were seeking to build a series spiritual transmitting posts stretching from East to West. That is why Gansu is regarded as the Art Gallery of Buddhist Grottoes.

Legendary skills

The building of grottoes is believed to have originated with the legendary ancestors of the Chinese, Fuxi and Nuwa, the Adam and Eve of the East.

There is a river in Tianshui called the Wei River where the descendant clans of Fuxi and Nuwa inhabited the upper reaches of the river.

Fuxi was a clan chief, while Nuwa was a lady full of wisdom and artistically gifted.

Floods broke out in prehistoric times, but fortunately Fuxi and Nuwa managed to survive. To ensure the lineage of their clans, they married and had children. The couple advocated monogamy, bringing to an end the polygamy which had been common.

The male hunter-gatherer proposed to a woman by giving her a beautiful animal fur as a bridal tribute. Thus, a simple civilization developed. Fuxi is said to have been the earliest clan chief to make a study of astronomy and meteorological phenomena in Chinese history, while Nuwa made pottery and passed the skills on.

In 1978 archaeologists found more than 20,000 pieces of pottery in the Dadiwan Ruins, relics of Nuwa and her descendants.

Spread of Buddhism

Thanks to its beautiful natural landscape, Tianshui was an ideal place for the spreading of Buddhism and it became a place of pilgrimage.

In AD 382, a Tianshui native named Fu Jian, occupied Chang'an. He sent 20,000 soldiers to Guici plateau, some 1,000 kilometres away to meet an eminent Buddhist monk from India. He was invited to teach the Buddhist Sutras and as a result, grottoes were dug, and statues were sculpted on a large scale.

Later, Maiji Mountain became a sacred place where Buddhist monks from India made a pilgrimage on their journeys to the interior of China.

About AD 400, the first giant statues, situated halfway up the mountain, began to be built.

These Buddhas are similar in features to those in India, with big ears drooping above their broad shoulders, high nose bridges and straight waists. From a distance they present a detached manner. With carved kasayas - robes - and typical exposed right shoulders, the attention to detail is characteristic of the earlier Han people's artistic bent. The statues also exemplify the dignity and nobility expected of ancient Chinese rulers. Hewn into the cliffs in the form of half relief sculptures, they retain the ancient Indian statue's style of a slender figure and body hugging clothes, which leave some parts exposed.

The period around AD 480 was the half century when the Northern Wei Dynasty ruled China, when many new grottoes were built in the Maiji Mountain and large numbers of statues and frescoes were created. In all 88 grottoes were built, half of which still remain.

This was the first brilliant development age in Maiji Mountain art history. The skills of form displayed the beautiful curved lines of moving bodies, and the natural softness of different clothing. The earlier artistic style, with its primitive simplicity and vigour gave way to a more delicate and refined form.

The statues of the later period of the Northern Wei Dynasty all followed the Han style. Among the stone statues in the 127th Grotto, are 12 delicate winged angels, singing and dancing, active and lovely in the rays above the main Buddha's head. The sculptors cleverly designed the skirts and streamers to form a flared pattern, giving the illusion of elegant rhythm. It is as if their singing and dancing has continued down the ages.

The frescoes of the latter period of the Northern Wei Dynasty are believed to be the earliest examples of Chinese traditional realistic paintings. The flying form changes their movements so they appear in constant movement. The fresco "Eight Kings Fighting for Buddhist Relics" and the fresco "Travelling Buddha" are representative works of this period.

AD 534 saw the Northern Wei Dynasty divided into Eastern Wei and Western Wei. Their rulers continued to regard Buddhism as their state religion and this was the third period of grotto building. Typically grottoes dating from this period are large and with wood effigies.

A devastating earthquake in AD 684 destroyed more than half of the grottoes and statues made in this period.

In AD 550 when the Northern Zhou Dynasty was established the fourth period of Maiji Mountain Grottoes, when new ideas were introduced, emerged. Today there are 44 surviving grottoes, most of which are intact.

On the surface of the crag along the Thousand-Buddha Gallery are sculptured more than 200 Buddha's with delicate features, and with a unified entity. The Pavilion of Seven Buddha's, 31 metres high and 15 wide, was built by a Tianshui local official, in memory of his dead father.

In AD 581, Emperor Suiwen, named Yang Jian, established the Sui Dynasty (AD 581-618).

As a child, Yang Jian lived in a temple and was brought up by a Buddhist nun. An ardent follower of Buddhism he promoted it as the state religion and during the 23 years of his rule, twice ordered his people to build Buddhist towers throughout the country. In AD 610, to celebrate his 60th birthday, he ordered that Buddhist towers be built in every state of the country. It was at this time the Buddhist Relics Tower on the top of Maiji Mountain came into being.

The Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907) is regarded as one of the pinnacles of Chinese history. Buddhism had a great influence at the beginning of that period. The later part of Tang saw a series of disastrous earthquakes hit Gansu, causing the Maiji Mountain to fall into decline and for about 200 years, no new grottoes were dug.

During the 300 years of the Song Dynasty (AD 960-1279), broken grottoes and statues were restored and all the destroyed ones were rebuilt out of wood.

Many more statues were added to the former grottoes, which assimilated the merits of previous dynasties, but evolved towards a more realistic style of sculpture. The statues of this time have oval faces, with moderate nose-bridges, thicker eye-lids and glazed eyeballs. And the relation between the kasaya and the muscle accords with normal anatomy. From the 3rd century to the 14th century the Maiji Mountain Grottoes witnessed seven consecutive dynasties.

The worth of the Maiji Mountain grottoes in terms of the history of Chinese art, religion, folk customs and philosophies is immeasurable.