Page 160 - Christie's Important Chinese Works of Art, May 31 to June 1, 2023 Hong Kong

THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN
士紳珍藏
3087
A CARVED LIMESTONE RELIEF FRAGMENT OF 北魏 石灰岩雕維摩詰居士像
VIMALAKIRTI
來源:
NORTHERN WEI DYNASTY (AD 386-535) 史蒂芬·瓊肯三世（1978年逝）舊藏
The lay practitioner is seated on a daybed, his right hand holding 《Junkunc: Chinese Buddhist Sculpture》，紐約蘇富比，
a fan, wearing a high Phrygian cap and flowing robe, his left hand 2018年9月12日，拍品9號
resting on his lap.
14Ω in. (37 cm.) high, wood stand 維摩詰菩薩（梵語為Vimalakīrti）是大乘佛教中極受歡迎《維摩詰經》的
中心角色，主導「不二論」思想，追求超越人生中的相對「二元」而達到絕
HK$800,000-1,200,000 US$110,000-150,000 對的境界。維摩詰菩薩妙語如珠、舌燦蓮花，往往與諸高僧眾弟子對談、辯
P R O V E NAN C E : 才、相與推敲而道盡機鋒，語驚四座，其無盡的知識及智慧泉源亦對中國歷
Collection of Stephen Junkunc, III (d. 1978) 代貴族及文人思想影響至深。《維摩詰經》代代相傳，內容受到大眾喜愛與
Sold at Sotheby’s New York, Junkunc: Chinese Buddhist Sculpture, 推崇而屢屢被轉化成繪畫、壁畫、石雕等藝術形式呈現，其中維摩詰菩薩多
12 September 2018, lot 9 被刻畫為側身臥躺姿以重現、演繹經文中「文殊問疾」的著名橋段。此尊深
色石灰岩雕佛像五官立體、衣冠層疊，風格源自河南省洛陽以南北魏(386-
Vimalakirti, also known as Wei Mo Jie, is the central figure of the 534)時期的龍門石窟造像。由石雕尺寸大小可推斷此像原於神廟或石碑一
Vimalakirti Sutra, a popular Mahayana Buddhist scripture, primarily
teaching the concept of 'nondualism', meaning to reach the realm of 隅，其內容極大可能是描述《維摩詰經》中「文殊師利、維摩詰共談，必說
absoluteness by transcending the relative dualism in life. Vimalakirti 妙法。即時八千菩薩，五百聲聞，百千天人，皆欲隨從。」的片段，亦即前述「
demonstrated outstanding wisdom and deep enlightenment through 文殊問疾」，象徵智慧的文殊菩薩率眾探病、探討佛法的橋段。
his debates with a host of disciples and bodhisattvas, which ultimately
charmed the cultivated Chinese aristocratic literati. The sutra
consequently received growing favour, resulting in the emergence of an 雲岡六號石窟中有一相似例，亦為「文殊問疾」片段中的維摩詰菩薩像，
artistic repertory of Vimalakirti in the form of paintings, wall murals and 載於水野清一《雲岡石窟 : 西歷五世紀における中國北部佛教窟院》，京
stone sculptures. He was often shown leaning on one side to suggest the 都，1951-1956，卷3，圖版31。此維摩詰菩薩像的詮釋風格還保留著西方
illness that initiates the drama of the sutra. With the pronounced facial 文化的氣息，祂頭戴佛里幾亞無邊便帽，腳踩高筒靴，手執以鹿尾製成的扇
features, cascading garment and the dark-greyish coloured limestone, this 子，不同於中國工匠擅長演繹的羽毛扇。單憑藉雲岡石窟內的石像雕刻，
figure is carved in the style of Northern Wei (386-534) stone sculptures in
the Longmen cave temples located south of Luoyang in Henan province. 亦能察覺其風格的演變及漸漸中國化的現象。到六世紀，從扇子的樣式、
Its compact size suggests that he was likely part of an elaborate votive 人物的衣著……等元素中都能發現其詮釋方法逐步遠離西方傳統。到了唐
pantheon or stele, possibly depicting the popular religious debate with 代，「文殊問疾」片段多以繪畫形式呈現，數量甚至超越石雕作品，演繹的
Manjushri, the 'Bodhisattva of Wisdom', along with various disciples and 風格更有了進一步發展。
deities witnessing the illuminating conversations.

Compare depictions of Vimalakirti in the Yungang grottoes, particularly a 此外，龍門石窟中能見相似樣式之三菩薩思惟佛像，載於《中國美術全集.
carving of the debate found in Cave no. 6 and illustrated in Seiichi Mizuno, 雕塑編.11.龍門石窟雕刻》，上海，1988年，圖版53-5。亦可見另一相似例
Yun-Kang: The Buddhist Cave-Temples of the Fifth Century A.D. in North 演繹維摩詰菩薩被諸弟子和天使般半懸浮於空中的仕女圍繞之石雕，載於
China, Kyoto, 1951-56, vol III, pl. 31. Vimalakirti's foreign origins are still 《龍門石窟》，北京，1980年，圖版112以及李文生《龍門石窟裝飾雕刻》，
quite visible in this rendition. He wears a Phrygian cap, tall boots, and
the upwardly peaked fan is still of deer tail, unlike the feathered versions 上海，1991年，圖版139。
more familiar to Chinese artisans. Even within the Yungang grottoes, the
evolution and sinification of Vimalakirti can be detected, and by the sixth
century, several elements including the fan and the figure's wardrobe
abandon their western heritage. By the Tang dynasty, illustrations of the
debate developed further and painted representations of the sutra began
to outnumber stone carvings.
The Longman caves also include figures carved in a similar style, such as
three bodhisattvas seated in a pensive pose, illustrated in Zhongguo meishi
quanji: Diaosu bian. [Complete series on Chinese art: Sculpture section], 11:
Longmen shiku diaoke [Sculptures of the Longmen caves], Shanghai, 1988,
pls 53-5. See also other stone representations of Vimalakirti, along with
other standing disciples and angel-like female figures hovering mid-air,
illustrated in Longmen Shiku, Beijing, 1980, pl. 112, and Li Wensheng ed.,
Longmen shiku zhuangshi diaoke, Shanghai, 1991, pl. 139.

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