中原北方=the northern part of the Central Plains; 敦煌=Dunhuang; 北朝=Northern Dynasties; 隋代=Sui Dynasty; 石窟天井圖樣=Buddhist cave temples with decorated plafond courtyards
In the Northern Dynasties and Sui Dynasty,there was a rich and complex network of Buddhist cave temples with decorated plafond courtyards(tianjing)that emulated architecture and reflected the rich cultural interaction of the time,as well as aesthetics and ideas.The author argues that such motifs underwent a development in this period and that two regional systems can be distinguished- one along the Hexi Corridor and the other in the Central Plains.Along the Hexi Corridor,the Dunhuang caves have the richest examples,and there the internal courtyards feature overlapping decoration at the four corners and incorporate decorative elements from the Western Region and from the Central Plains, with those of the former being more prominent.In the northern part of the Central Plains regions,the main decorative elements in such cave courtyards are interconnected apsaras and lotuses.Although we can see elements of decoration imported from the Western Region in the earlier Central Plains examples, cultural elements from the Central Plains later predominate.
