PI: Zhao Nadong

Keywords: 

Buddhist Grotto; Buddhist Monastery; Spatial Pattern; Formation Logic; from the 5th to 9th Century

Abstract：

The period of the 5th to 9th century is the critical phrase of sinicization of Buddhism. Chinese grottoes along the Silk Road had just been cut successively at that time. But corresponding relics of Chinese Buddhist monasteries are rare and mostly incomplete. Based on such common notion that grotto is one kind of monasteries, there is a correspondence between grottoes and monasteries in the respect of spatial structure. So it is necessary and certain to study on the history of Chinese Buddhist architecture by means of discussion on related remains of Buddhist grottoes. On the other hand, Buddhist faith, reflected by the construction and interior decoration of caves, is also more explicit clue in order to explore the evolution of spatial pattern of Buddhist monasteries. Chinese Buddhist grottoes along the Silk Road, Buddhist classic works and relics of Buddhist monasteries are to build up the whole logical chain from Buddhist relief to material space. According to that study perspective, this research tries to analyze spatial pattern and evolution regulation of Buddhist monasteries reflected by Buddhist grottoes. Furthermore it discusses on corresponding logic of special formation at the background of sinicization of Buddhism and speculates special models of the monasteries.