Page 46 - 2020 September Fine Chinese Paintings and Works of Art, Bonham NYC

The Tianlongshan caves are located near Taiyuan, Shansi. The site 天龍山石窟位於山西太原。石窟內有不少六朝年間的
has many caves with dated inscriptions from Six Dynasties; but none 題刻，相反唐朝興建的石窟寺中，卻沒有有關年代或
of the cave temples carved during the Tang has a datable inscription. 贊助人資料的題刻。但考慮到太原跟當時唐室的關
Nor do we know who commissioned them, although they must
have held great power since Taiyuan had long associations with the 係，可推斷建造石窟寺的人士應擁有莫大權力。前述
Tang imperial house. In her 1975 article cited above, Professor Rhie Rhie教授於1975年發表之論文中提到，第11窟可能早
suggested that work on Cave XXI could have started as early as 703 於703年已開始建造，並一直延續至唐玄宗在位年間
and continued through the reign of the emperor Xuanzong (713-756).
Professor Howard aptly described their striking realism: ‘The art of （713-756年）。Howard教授亦提出以下關於像真度
Tianlongshan is more secular than that of any other Tang site of the 一點：「天龍山之藝術較唐朝早期八世紀的其他領地
early eight century, to the extent that the holiness of the image is 比較，佛教主義較薄弱，以致佛像的神性度亦較低」
undermined’ (see Howard, Chinese Sculpture, p. 309). The source （見Howard，Chinese Sculpture 頁309）。長安青龍
for the nipple on the right chest of the Qinglongsi marble Amitabha
from Chang’an appears on the Maitreya photographed in Cave IV 寺阿彌陀佛佛像右胸乳首的來源，可追溯到第4窟的彌
(see Siren, Chinese Sculpture, p.47 and Pl.486) and the sensuous 勒佛佛像（照片見Siren，Chinese Sculpture, 頁47 及
seated bodhisattva turning toward his left his left in Cave VI (Sire, 圖版486），及第6窟中婀娜多姿、向左盤坐的菩薩像
Chinese Sculpture p.47 and Pl. 488). In addition, variations on the （見Siren, Chinese Sculpture 頁47及圖版488）。此
way fabric cascades over the lotus flower support to the Qinglongsi
marble Amitabha can be found on the seated Buddha from Cave 外，青龍寺阿彌陀佛佛像中，垂下至蓮花底座的多樣衣
XXI (Rhie, ‘A T’ang Period Stele,’ p.7 fig.1) and the headless figure 褶形式，可見於第21窟的佛坐像（Rhie，〈A T’ang
within the doorway of Cave VI (Siren, Chinese Sculpture, p.47 and Period Stele〉頁7，圖1），和第6窟門道內的無頭身像
Pl. 487). Finally, good parallels to the intense physical realism in
the figure and fabric of our marble Maitreya fragment can also be （Siren，Chinese Sculpture，頁147及圖版487）。最
found in the serene Maitreya of Cave IV (Siren, Chinese Sculpture, 後，我們大理石彌勒佛身像強烈的身體、衣襟紋理像真
p 47 and Pl. 486); in the more forceful Maitreya of Cave XVII (Siren, 度，亦見於第4窟安詳的彌勒佛佛像（Siren，Chinese
Chinese Sculpture, p. 49 and Pl. 499 [dated by Professor Rhie Sculpture，頁47及圖版486）；第17窟較強悍的彌勒佛
to be the latest cave in the Tang series, dating in the late Kaiyuan
o-early Tianbo period, cica 735-745 – see, p. 20); and in the quiet but 佛像（Siren，Chinese Sculpture，頁49及圖版499，
headless Maitreya in the Nelson-Atkins Gallery, Kansas City, listed 其中Rhie教授指出，第17窟為唐朝最後建成的石窟，年
as probably from Cave IV at Tianlongshan (20in [50.8cm], Object 代為開元晚期至天寶初期（734-745年），見頁20）；
number 32-65/2, dated as ca. 725) https://art.nelson-atkins.org/ 和美國堪薩斯城納爾遜－阿特金斯藝術博物館藏，安詳
objects/25516/seated-maitreya-buddha.
的彌勒佛身像（20寸 [50.8釐米]，藏品編號32-65/2，
In summary, Lot 159 - this white marble fragment of Maitreya -
displays compelling parallels in drapery and figure type to caves 約725年，記錄為「可能來自天龍山第4窟」）。https://
at Tianlongshan in Shansi and the white marble Amitabha from art.nelson-atkins.org/objects/25516/seated-maitreya-
Qinglongsi - some of the finest Chinese Buddhist sculpture produced buddha.
in the Tang period. While there is general agreement that Tang work
at Tianlongshan commenced in the early years of the eighth century, 總言之，此拍品編號XXX的白色大理石彌勒佛身像，無
there is no firm proof that activity there ceased during the An Lushan 論衣襟或人體式樣，皆與山西天龍山石窟和青龍寺白
revolts of the 750s. In fact, Professor Howard notes that a reflection 大理石阿彌陀佛佛像同出一轍。它們均屬唐朝造工技
of the influential Tianlong style at Dunhuang, far to the west in Gansu,
while already apparent around the year 725 in Cave 45, lingered there 術最高的中國佛教雕像。雖然現在普遍認為天龍山的
as late as the 890s in Cave 196 (see Howard, Chinese Sculpture, 唐代作品於八世紀早期開始製作，但現時並無證據證
p.309, p. 310, il.3.116 and p. 311, il.3.117). However the headless 明750年代安祿山之亂期間中止製造。相反，Howard
Maitreya from the Nelson-Atkins Museum is listed as circa 725.
As noted above, Professor Rhie considered the sculpture in Cave 教授指出，此天龍風格雖早於725年左右已經在第45
17 to the latest work at Tianlongshan, A more conservative date of 窟出現，但某程度上，其影響力一直西至甘肅敦煌，
8th century was assigned in Nara National Museum catalog for the 並延續到890年代的第196窟中（見Howard，Chinese
undated white marble Amitabha now in the Eisei Bunko Foundation, Sculpture，頁309、310，圖3.116及頁311，圖3.117）
although the same entry also suggests a more restricted time frame
from Kaiyuan 2 (714) to Tianbao 10 (756) in the reign of the emperor 。但當中納爾遜－阿特金斯藝術博物館藏彌勒佛佛像，
Xuanzong. 則被判斷為約725年。如上述所示，Rhie教授視第17窟
中的雕像為天龍山最後的作品。奈良國立博物館方，則
在圖錄中為無年款的永青文庫藏白大理石阿彌陀佛佛
像，斷代為較保守的八世紀。另一方面，同一則條目中
亦有提出一個較細密的時間範圍——玄宗在位的開元2
年（714年）至天寶10年（756年）間

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