淺談石窟攷古斷代方法與樣式研究 : 《慈善寺與麟溪橋》讀後=Discussion of Archaeological Dating Methods and Research on the Characteristics of Cave Temples: Comments on Cishansi Temple and Linxiqiao
In this article I will introduce the main contributions of the book Cishansi temple and Linx iqiao: Report of the Survey on Buddhist Statue Nichescomprehensively recording the material and presenting a few issues. In addition, I will discuss two basic issues regarding cave temple archaeology: dating methods and research on stylistic and iconographic characteristics. Regarding archaeological methods of dating cave temples, I present three points of view. Firstly, dating a group of works or a single work should emphasize their new elements if a group of works or a single work has both old and new elements. Secondly, one should date a certain work by using surviving dated material from the same site or from other sites, and then employ historical texts to further reinforce the determined date. Thirdly, if there is not any dated material at a site, we should try to determine a date by using comparable dated works from other sites. I will also present some views that differ from the assertions of the authors of Cishansi Temple and Linxiqiao. At the end of this section, I offer an alternative chronology of these two sites. The article, "`Shilun Fojiao Zaoxiang de Chang'an Moshiyu Shengtang Fengge" ( Research on the Chang'an Characteristics and the High Tang Style of Buddhist Images) published in Cishansi Temple and Linxiqiao is problematic. The methodology and conclusions do not go along with available evidence for this material. In addition, the author neglects to include important material that I discussd in my earlier publication, Binxian Dafosi Zaoxiang Yishu ( Iconic Art of the Great Buddha Temple in Binxian ). Furthermore, I discuss the relationship between the Chang'an mode and Tang aesthetic taste in this article. Generally, people need to first establish their aesthetic taste and then they will accept other works of art that correspond to this aesthetic taste. Finally, I clarify how the two terms mentioned in Cishansi Temple and Linxiqiao: folk image ( minjian zaoxiang ) and folk style (minjian fengge) should be utilized.
