佛經翻譯對敦煌早期石窟藝術的建構略識（“A Brief Discussion of the Construction of Dunhuang Grotto Art in Early Buddhist Sutra Translation.”

Chunghui Tsui 崔中慧

This study explores the sophisticated link between the evolution of Buddhist cave art in Dunhuang and scripture translation. While aesthetic appeal often captures initial interest, deeper understanding requires consideration of historical Buddhist context, iconography, and the scriptures themselves. Rather than focusing solely on the art as previous research has done, this paper investigates the lesser-studied relationships between Buddhist translations, the monks responsible for them, and the associated imagery. It highlights the influence of early Buddhist translations and key monks from before the 5th century on cave construction, scrutinizes the timelines of influential scriptures, and draws parallels between the themes of the early Dunhuang caves and the scriptures translated by monks such as Dharmarakṣa,