Jin Dy.(1115-1234 A.D.), Camphortree,
China¡¯s Buddhism sculpture commenced in DunHuang, a strategic key-point located in the ancient Silk Road. In 2 century AD, Buddhism spread into China from the west and set its root in DunHuang City, and then started to merge with Han culture (prevailing in the middle part of ancient China) as well as Indian, Greek and Islamic cultures. In 366, the second year after the establishment of East Jin Dynasty, Gaoseng and his followers began to cut Mogao Grottoes and established the religion by setting up image of Buddha. Thereafter, the art of Buddha image spread into the central part of the Middle Kingdom. During South and North Dynasty period, local wars and conflicts were frequent. Due to the trust in God, the ordinaries numbered millions started to worship the religion in order to set themselves spiritually free from the pains and suffers of the wars. The emperors started to build temples in considerable scale, which to a great extent sparkled the fast development of Buddhism. In the early period of North Wei Dynasty, Buddhism was influenced by Jian Tuo Lou Buddhism; after that, Xiaowen Emperor promoted Han Culture and worshipped Buddhism. Together with the merging and combination with northern and southern arts, the image was characterized with fine, delicate features, and the dresses were usually loose and comfortable. Through the transformation during East Wei and West Wei periods, the images in North Qi period, which were characterized by slim, pretty, loose, simple and tranquil features, became a classical style and that trend extended into Sui Dynasty. In the aspects of genres and contents, the North Qi images, which were comprehensive and conclusive, attained the highest artistic level. Tang Dynasty witnessed the peak of China¡¯s feudalism societies. That period experienced great economic progress and people started to gain an advanced understanding on realistic life. Originated by the fantasy towards God, people started to use God to express real-world life. The Buddhism art pursues after reality and normally reflects the real social life. Due to the increase of realistic and artistic elements and decrease of religion influence, secular features became rather prominent for the art during that period. And more importantly, it started to free itself from foreign influence and became more nationalized, the Buddhism art entered the period of perfection. The Buddhism sculpture could pursue the perfection of figures with dignified and sedate features; Bodhisattva possessed elegant and delicate figure and even skin, and the ultimate goal was to illuminate a theme that is to bring poor sinners to regeneration. Tang Dynasty saw a great number of famous sculptors, among which Yang Hui Zhi was the most renowned one. The work of these sculptures masters help to speed up the development of three major forms of Buddhism sculptures: Grottoes Sculpture, Temple Sculpture and Profiling Sculpture. The sculpture art in Tang Dynasty is considered by all means the most excellent in China¡¯s sculpture history. Starting from middle and late Tang Dynasty, Buddhism art began to decline. By Song Dynasty, Liao Jin started to invasion and political and social life was unstable. The worship of Buddhism entered declining period and sculpture art experienced a rather slow growth. During such period, the Buddhism sculpture art put more emphasis upon the beauty of common figures. The real life models were popularly used. After Yuan and Ming Dynasty, Buddhism lost its support and Buddhism sculpture consequently declined. This period saw the changes in genres and contents, and the themes were more towards formalism lacking of creative features.