李义琛家族的石窟营建与洛阳生活

On Li Yichen Family's Donation of Caves and Their Life in Luoyang in the Early Tang Dynasty

武则天统治前期的十年间,李义琛子女在龙门西山分别为父母建造石窟。他们营建造像,期望逝者往生佛国,也是缅怀优良家风的一种方式。在居住分散或任职地不定的情况下,石窟营建以及相关纪念活动是家族凝聚的重要机缘。

Li Yichen's sons and daughters respectively donated the construction of caves with Buddhist sculptures enshrined inside at the mountain located west to the Longmen Grottoes in honor of their parents during the first decade under Wu Zetian's reign,thus praying for the deceased to be reborn in the paradise of Buddhism and their family virtues to be cherished in memory.That the whole family is assembled,especially with the members serving and resided far away coming back home for the sake of cave donation and worship of their ancestors,is significantly strengthening the unity and cohesion of the clan.