上士登仙图与维摩诘经变——莫高窟第249窟窟顶壁画再探

The picture of the Immortals F lying to the Heavens and Vimalakirti Sutra: the Painting on the Ceiling of Cave 249 at Mogao Grottoes Revisited

莫高窟第249窟开凿于北魏末至西魏初这段时间内,无论题材内容还是艺术形式,都是敦煌艺术的一个重大转折点。该窟窟顶壁画形象怪异。构图特别,难以辨识,长期以来专家学者们争论不休。在拜读了前辈学者们的研究文章之后,我又翻阅了大量有关的文献资料和考古学上的新发现,产生了一些新的想法,今不揣冒昧。提出来供大家参考。

The painting on the ceiling of cave 249 are about immortalized Daoists flying to the heavens and Buddhist Vimalakirti Sutra. The western quarter is the central part of the painting with the heavenly palaces of Yellow Emperor in the upper middle and the Heaven Gate in the middle, the Kunlun Mountains below it. There are gods of the thunder, the lightening, the wind and the rain on: both sides. Stars glistening in the sky. The one standing in the center is God Fangxiang who is able to drive away or capture devils and monsters. On his both sides are dark dragons, wood-cutting birds and flying apsaras. Below him is the Ruoshui River with divine birds and monstrous animals. That is, apart from the lower part. which is about Vimalakirti Sutra all the images in the western area are related to Yellow Emperor. In the southenn quarter, there are the female immortal ascending to the heavens and the Angel Driver with immortals ahd flying apsaras leading the way. Colored skates, white tigers and divine animals are guarding about the chariot. Immortals, flying apsaras and the Emperor of the Lands are tailing behind. In the lower front, there is a slave driving ghosts away. In the northern quarter, there are the male immortal ascending to the heavens with the Angel Driver. In front of the chariot, slaves, immortals, the divine birds Qianqic and Feilian, winged apsaras are leading the way while other immortals, the crane and the Emperor of the Heavens are following after the vehicle. The southern and the northern parts prersent a contrast between yin and yang. As in Daoist faith, yin should harmonize with yangand vice versa. Thus, a harmo-nious relation should be built between the female(yin) and the male (yang). we can deduce, then, from this faith that the female immortal in the southern part and the male immortal. in the northern part must be a couple. In the center of teh eastern part, there are slaves-God Xuanwu and the Emperor of the peoples surrounding the hideous animals representing evil beings. Above those, there are the graceful rosefinch, pheonix. Mani treasures and flying asaras. The picture symbolizes that wish thai evil beings be surrendered and auspicious signs displayed. In the lower paris of the eastern. southern and northern quarters, there are woods. animals and hunting grounds representing the scene of the human world and events taken place before the Daoists were immortalized, i. e..died. Vimalakirti sutra is painted on both sides of the niche lintel representing Vimalakirti: Visiting the Patient. Manjusi is on the southern side and Vimalakirti on the northern side with the Vima godess beside him.