敦煌早期洞窟分期及存在的问题

Periodization and Existing Problems of Early Caves at Dunhuang

学术界一般把隋代之前的敦煌石窟称为早期洞窟,莫高窟早期洞窟共有36个,西千佛洞也有若干早期洞窟。学术界将早期洞窟分为4期,该文对早期洞窟的分期研究进行了回顾,并对研究方法提出一些思考。

The so-called ＂Early Caves＂ at Dunhuang are generally understood as caves that were constructed before the Sui dynasty （581--618）.There are in total 36 early caves at the Mogao Grottoes that fall into this category,and there are also a few such caves at the Xiqianfodong site.These ＂Early Caves＂ are then subdivided into four periods.This paper is a historiographical study on how such four periods came into being,and poses further questions regarding our research methodology.