Buddhism with Han Chinese characteristics has always constituted the mainstream of Dunhuang Buddhism. With the rise of the Tang Tantra, a few gods of exoteric Buddhism, together with the content and compositions, were absorbed into esoteric Buddhism. The doctrine of the Esoteric Buddhism is that the Buddhas in the four directions are direct emanations from Mahavairocana at the center, consistent with the Huayan sect doctrine, which says that the Buddhas in the ten directions and of the three ages are direct emanations from Mahavairocana. The five-Buddha image in esoteric Buddhism is based on Mahayana scripture and images. Its development has been exhibited in the Dunhuang caves, and this demonstrates that the main trend of esoteric Buddhist art at Dunhuang was the combination of exoteric and esoteric Buddhism as well as the absorption of exoteric Buddhist elements into esoteric Buddhism, well exemplified by the evolution of the fiveBuddha image in esoteric Buddhism with Han Chinese characteristics.
