南京牛首山明代佛龛的调查与初步探讨

Investigation of the Niushou Mountain Grottoes in Nanjing

位于南京市南郊的牛首山佛龛,现存5个,均为长方形平面圆拱形龛,大小共133尊像,题材有阿弥陀佛、弥勒佛、千佛、天王、弟子及供养人等,时代年限处在明代成化至嘉靖年间,另有梵文、藏文等题刻。牛首山佛龛造像及题刻,为我们提供了藏传佛教对汉地产生影响的珍贵实证资料。

The Niushou Mountain Grottoes are in the southern suburbs of Nanjing city. There are 5 caves in Niushou Mountain. They have a rectangular plan and arched niches, housing 133 Buddhist statues, including Amitabha, Maitreya Buddha, Thousand Buddhas, Heavenly Kings, arhats, and donors, in addition to Sanskrit and Tibetan Inscriptions. They were constructed during the period from the Chenghua era to the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty. These statues and inscriptions have provided us with valuable materials verifying the influence of Tibetan Buddhism on Chinese Buddhism.