四川资中西岩五代毗沙门天王大像窟考察

An Investigation of a Vai?ravana Grotto in the Five Dynasties at Xiyan of Zizhong County, Sichuan

通过实地调查,采用考古类型学和美术史图像学方法,对四川资中西岩五代毗沙门天王大像窟及其胁窟的造像内容和功能等进行全面分析可知,此窟造像群融合了以往四川各地区和不同类型毗沙门天王像因素,在朝廷与地方政权之间矛盾爆发节点和冲突激化要地,由资州刺史元弘习等一批后唐军政要员开凿供养。此大像窟与两侧胁窟形成组合关系,将中间守护神作为主要尊像供养,而将更高尊格的佛和菩萨作为其从属内容表现,成为极其罕见的文化现象,反映了施主希冀凭借毗沙门天王神威佑助其军事胜利的核心诉求,以及施主祈求诸菩萨救济以免除各种灾祸,乃至往生佛国净土的强烈愿望。

This paper focuses on Five Dynasties Vai?rava?a Grotto at Xiyan,Zizhong,Sichuan,basing on field investigation,and adopting the methods of archaeological typology and iconography of art history.This grotto conflates the image factors from different regions in Sichuan and various types of Vai?rava?a statues.Several key military and political figures of the Later Tang court,including Yuan Hongxi,the provincial governor of Zizhou,directed to excavate this grotto in a conflicting time and at a core area,when and where conflicts were escalating among central government and local authorities.This grotto and two symmetrically flanked grottoes had been planned as a group.It is an extremely rare cultural case that the guardian deity placed in center as the main deity,while Buddhas and bodhisattvas,who should be more noble,are subordinate.On one hand,this design meets the needs that doners’military activities could be protected by the miracle of Vai?rava?a.On the other hand,it emphasizes the relief of bodhisattvas,in order to extricate donors from all kinds of evils,and even the keen desire to reborn in the Pure Land of Buddha.