北石窟寺文物保护工作六十年

Sixty Years of Cultural Relic Conservation at the Beishikusi Grottoes

北石窟寺作为陇东地区重要的佛教文化遗存,有1500多年的历史,其石刻造像真实地反映了佛教文化在当地的延续与发展,但在自然力和人为活动影响下,现存的窟、龛和造像均有不同程度的病害存在,危岩体、裂隙、落砂、水害、微生物滋生等问题突出,洞窟渗水、造像风化现象严重。危岩体威胁着石窟本体和游客的安全,洞窟渗水、造像风化等严重影响文物的长久保存,长期以来北石窟保护面临着严峻挑战。北石窟寺的保护工作始于20世纪60年代,经历了60年的保护历程。本文对60年来北石窟寺文物保护工作全面梳理、分析,纵观其发展主要经历了看守式保护、抢救性保护和综合性科学保护三个阶段,并对北石窟寺保护现状和未来进行思考与展望,以期对陇东地区中小石窟保护工作起到借鉴作用。

The Beishikusi Grottoes in Longdong are one of the most important sites of Chinese Buddhist culture in China,with a history of more than 1,500 years.The stone statues at the site truly reflect the continuation and development of Buddhist culture in the region.However,due to natural forces and human activities,deterioration of different degrees has developed in all the extant caves,niches and statues.Various problems have arisen that include unstable rocks and cracking rock surfaces,falling sandstone,water damage,and the prevalence of various microorganisms.Of particular concern are unstable rock masses,which endanger the safety of cultural relics and visitors;as well as water seepage and statue weathering,which are currently the most destructive forms of deterioration endangering the preservation of numerous cultural relics.Conservation of this site began in the 1960s and has persisted for the past sixty years with persistence and dedication.This paper presents a systematic review and comprehensive analysis of the conservation work conducted at the site during this time,and concludes that the conservation of the Beishikusi Grottoes can be characterized as periodical.A general overview of the situation suggests that historical conservation work can be divided into three periods:safeguarding and fundamental preservation,emergency conservation,and scientific conservation.The study ends by discussing the conservation measures presently in use and puts forward several promising prospects for future development,in the hope that understanding the past history of this site will contribute to the preservation of both medium and small cave temples in the Longdong area.