Classification, Layout, and Iconography of Buddhist Cave Temples and Monasteries

Abstract

A is a monastic structure carved into the side of a cliff along a river. Although in structure the cave temple differs from the surface monastery, the larger cave temples could serve the same functions as other types of monasteries. On this basis, this chapter draws on materials for cave temples and surface monasteries in order to objectively analyze the evolution of the layout and iconography of the early Buddhist monastery. The origins of the Buddhist cave temple can be traced back to ancient India. The arrangement of iconography in each cave is distinctive. Cave temples are Buddhist monasteries that combine architecture, sculpture, and painting. In cave temples, the iconography of paintings is extremely rich and complicated. In the latter part of the Northern Dynasties, iconography derived from doctrines related to Huayan, the pure land, and the Lotus sutra all started to become popular. Keywords: Buddhist cave temples; Buddhist monasteries; iconography; Northern Dynasties