河北早期佛教造像

Buddha Figurine of Early Period in Hebei Province

一、佛教在河北的流传和发展佛教于西汉末年传入中国,约在东汉末年传入河北,此后的河北一直是中国北方佛教活动的重要地区.西晋元康元年(291年),《放光般若经》在河南陈留仓垣水南寺译出后,中山遣人到仓垣写经带回,中山王和众僧出城40里前去迎经,说明这一时期佛教己受到河北统治者的相当重视,并在民间流传开来.后赵建都襄国(今河北邢台),后迁都邺城(今河北临漳),君主石勒、石虎均极力推崇佛教,河北成为后赵佛教发展的中心地区.南北朝时战乱频繁,佛教成为人民逃避战争、追求和平的精神寄托,在全国得到空前的发展.北魏时有寺院3万所,僧尼200多万.河北佛寺林立,僧侣云集,信徒众多,不仅吸引了许多僧侣前来求道,而且当太武帝灭佛时,这里还成为外地僧侣的避难之地.东魏迁都邺城,洛阳诸寺的僧尼也随同迁邺.北齐仍都邺城,其时仅邺城就有大寺4000所,僧尼近8万人.文宣帝曾请高僧法常入内廷讲《涅磐》,

Hebei Province is always an important area for the Buddha activity of Northern China with many Buddha figurine of early period, which provide much valuable data for the research. The early Buddha figurines of Hebei Province are mostly made during Northern and Southern Dynasty and Tang Dynasty embedded with character of that age. The figurine also keeps absolute indigenous characteristic. The author introduces several Buddha figurines preserved by Hebei Museum to enjoy with readers.