大理崇圣寺三塔主塔的实测和清理

SURVEY AND CLEARING OF THE MAIN PAGODA AT HTE CHONGSHENG TEMPLE IN DALI

大理崇圣寺三塔是国务院公布的全国重点文物保护单位之一。1976年经国家文物事业管理局批准,进行加固维修(图版拾叁,5),并实测和清理塔顶、塔基文物。现将实测和清理的情况,初步报告如下:

The three pagodas at the Chongsheng Temple in Dali was listed among the first group ofkey cultural relic units under state protection.With the approval of the State AdministrativeBureau of Museums and Archaeological Data,they were renovated between May 1978 and De-cember 1980.The main pagoda,also called Qian Xun pagoda,69.13 meters tall,is a square brick towerof 16 stories separated by projecting roofs.It is similar in form to the Xiao Yah Pagoda inXi'an.Survey and excavation were conducted in coordination with the repair project.At theformer base of a spire surmounting the Qian Xun Pagoda and in a hole in the inside wall ofits base were discovered over 600 cultural relics of the Nanzhao and Dali periods.They pro-vide important data for the study of the history of the area and the relations between China'ssouthwest border and the central plains.The Qian Xun Pagoda is one of the typical pagoda types of the Tang dynasty.Without using bracketing for decoration,it derives its artistic effect from its silhouette which graceful-ly tapers upward.The stairway inside is built of wood.These features are reminiscent ofthe Xiao Yan Pagoda in Xi'an.A further survey,however,reveals difference in details.Taking the structure of their bases as an example.The Xiao Yan Pagoda has a pit under itsbase for storing cultural relics,which is not found under the Qian Xun Pagoda;the founda-tion of the latter is paved with bricks and the face of its wall becomes wider toward the bottomto enlarge the load-bearing area,a characteristic not shared by the former.As for the top,the spire base of the Qian Xun Pagoda is used to store cultural objectsand at each of its four corners stands a golden roc.These are features unique to the Daliversion.The surface layer of brick added to the shaft of the tower under the reign of Jiajing ofthe Ming dynasty,as confirmed during the excavation,was dismantled and the spire restored.Among the finds are 133 statues of Buddha and Bodhisattva cast of metal or carved outof other material.Most of the Buddha images represent the Buddha of five regions of theesoteric school of Mahayana Buddhism.The Bodhisattvas mainly consists of Guan Yin,theGoddss of Mercy.Statues of lokapalas and guardians are also related to the esoteric school.The handwritten sutras found from the top are largely damaged.But two volumes writ-ten on cloth and a mandala discovered in a gilded copper case are well preserved.One volumeis 无垢净光大院罗尼经 translated by Mitrasanta and Fa-Zang,both famous monks of the Tangdynasty.The other is 自心印陀罗尼咒。Of the damaged volumes,the most valuable is the Vajracchedika-Prajnaparamita Sutra(金风般若经).Its first part is devoted to Buddhist pictures,while the latter to sutras.Apartfrom several metal leaves bearing inscriptions,the top of the Qian Xun Pagoda also yieldedthe Kaiyuantongbao coins,bronze mirrors marked'Made in Chengdu'or'Made in Huzhou',as well as a number of ying qing porcelains,all bearing witness to the close economic and cul-tural interchange between Nanzhao (or Dali) and other parts of the country.Historical records provide different information as to when the pagoda was erected andabout the origin and sects of Buddhism introduced to the Dali area.But the most possibledate is the first year of the reign of Kaicheng (A.D.836).As Yunnan on the southwestborder is adjacent to India,the Southeast Asian countries,Tibet and Sichuan,Buddhism thenwidespread in this region originated from various channels.But the Hua Yan (Avatamsaka)sect of the Tang dynasty exerted the greatest influence.