陜西延長七里村石窟造像辨識 - 兼論道教語境中的熾盛光佛=The Iconography of Qilicun Cave in Yanchang, Shaanxi - Plus a Discussion of Buddha Chishengguang in Relation to the Taoist Pantheon
In Qilicun Cave located at Qili Village, Yanchang County, Shaanxi Province, there are many basreliefs from the Ming dynasty representing deities from various religious traditions. This paper discusses the combinations in which these deities are placed, the correspondence between different groups, and the overall configuration of the cave. Manifested prominently in the images on both side walls are the Taoist astral cult,which uses the North and South poles and Beidou and Nandou to predict and prevent disasters and forecast fortune and longevity. This cave provides new evidence for further research on the significance of Buddha Chishengguang (熾盛光佛*Teiaprabha), in the context of Taoism. Furthermore, the image of Buddha Chishengguang is the only extant example yet to be found in Chinese visual culture and is thus greatly significant for understanding the faith, culture, and society behind the artwork of the region.
