莫高窟第454窟营建年代与窟主申论

A Study on the Construction Date and Donors of Mogao Cave 454

关于莫高窟第454窟的营建年代和始建窟主,学界历经多年热议,仍难达成一致看法。总体来看,先后有曹延恭夫妇功德窟、曹元深功德窟和曹元德功德窟之说,近些年来,似又回归曹延恭夫妇功德窟之说。文章通过讨论莫高窟第454窟主室南壁东起前三身供养人的排序关系,以及甬道的重层供养人现象等,认为霍熙亮和马德两位先生主张的第454窟为曹元深功德窟的看法更接近实情,即第454窟是节度使曹元深于940—942年间始建,时隔30余年,其子节度使曹延恭与夫人慕容氏又重修此窟。

Despite ongoing academic discussion reaching back for years,no consensus has ever been reached about the construction date and the first donor of Mogao cave 454.Several views have been put forth respectively claiming that the cave was first constructed by Cao Yangong and his wife,by Cao Yuanshen,or by Cao Yuande;in recent years,the first of these views has become prominent.By discussing the order of the first three donor figures starting from the east on the south wall,and the two layers of donor figures painted on the side walls of the corridor in the cave,this paper reassesses the view proposed by professors Huo Xilang and Ma De that cave 454 was first constructed by Cao Yuanshen and concludes with them that this history is likely closest to the truth.Cave 454 was first constructed by Cao Yuanshen between 940-942 CE and renovated thirty years later by Cao Yuanshen’s son Cao Yangong,governor of Guazhou,and his wife Lady Murong.