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唐代筆記 vol.4 龍門擂鼓台新發現佛首與舊金山亞博館藏對比 - Leigutai Tang Dynasty New Excavation in comparison with Asian Art Museum collection.



龍門石窟擂鼓台的新發現


央視網消息 4月10日,記者從龍門石窟研究院瞭解到,為配合龍門石窟東山擂鼓台南洞加固維修保護工程,考古人員對擂鼓台南洞前壁(西牆)內的填充物進行清理時,出土了較多精美遺物,併發現石刻造像和建築構件80余件,這是龍門石窟首次在古代維修工程的牆壁內發現造像。



龍門石窟東山擂鼓台南洞前壁(西牆)由石塊、青磚壘砌而成,寬約1.3米。在牆的內部填土中,發現有遺物填充,經逐層清理出土有磚、陶質遺物100余件,其中編號的石造像殘件80余件、門砧石1對、陶質脊獸殘件數件。以洞窟窟門為界,門南側夾牆中出土遺物56件,北側夾牆中出土遺物28件,初步觀察多數造像殘件可以拼對修復。經清理,這些遺物逐層擺放,壘砌於牆內。


本次出土遺物以石刻造像為主,有佛頭、菩薩像殘件、頭部殘件、花紋殘件、蓮座殘件、造像腳部殘件和1對門砧石(門墩)等。其中一件圓雕佛頭,頭像保存完整,高38釐米、寬22釐米、厚19釐米,頭頂有高肉髻,肉髻和發髻表面飾品字形水渦紋,頭兩側和後部發紋雕刻波浪狀起伏,面相豐滿圓潤,長眉細目,眼瞼微啓,直鼻,鼻尖稍殘,雙唇飽滿,曲線柔和,神態恬靜祥和,下頜圓潤,頜下有內凹弧線,整個頭像雕刻精美,具有鮮明的龍門盛唐造像風格,判斷時代為7世紀末-8世紀初。



出土的幾件造像殘件,均圓雕造像,體量較大,其中1尊佛像殘件高76釐米、寬55釐米、厚28釐米。1件菩薩半身像高55釐米、寬39釐米、厚22釐米;1件菩薩腳及蓮座殘件高45釐米、寬54釐米、厚34釐米,均為頭部以下的身體部分。另外還有一些造像為擂鼓台南洞牆壁上坍塌的結跏趺坐像殘件,個別還殘留有彩繪痕跡。門墩石長54釐米、寬29釐米、高31.5釐米,中部有槽孔。


根據洞窟早期的坍塌、前壁和窟頂前部壘砌的青磚、前壁內的出土物、2008年擂鼓台區窟前遺址考古發掘以及結合歷史文獻記載的古代地震史等推斷,前壁牆內填埋造像應該在明代中晚期,其目的主要是古代在修復加固洞窟前壁的時候填充於牆內,節省磚石等用料。造像來源,可能為石窟中塌落的殘塊和該區域在唐宋時期為香山寺別院並存留、散落有部分圓雕造像,而出土的完整佛頭,填埋較深,上部有山石料礓等堆積,非夾牆內出土,推斷為晚唐-宋時期即已塌落掩埋於此。


此次配合保護工程的考古清理,是龍門石窟考古工作中一次石刻造像的集中出土,也是首次在古代維修工程的牆壁內發現造像。這些造像數量多、體量較大、造像精美。本次考古發現,對研究龍門石窟唐代造像藝術、擂鼓台區的歷史沿革、古代維修加固歷史和地震史、經濟社會狀況,以及深化石窟保護研究等有重要價值。


擂鼓台是什么地方?


这批造像据悉是唐代密宗的雕塑,分南洞和北洞。



現置龍門擂鼓台南洞內的大日如來像,據調查是清末由龍門某寺院遷來的。從風格看應為武則天後期作品。像高2 15米,結跏趺坐於須彌座上,座高0.86米。像螺髻,戴寶冠,上飾蓮花及忍冬流雲。面略長,較平,眉梢、眼角上斜。


左手平伸五指仰置右足上:右臂戴葫蘆形臂釧,掌心向下撫右膝。胸部突起,腰較細。頸部有橫紋四道,飾瓔珞和尖項飾。身著右袒袈裟。胸前衣褶四道從左肩斜下。



擂鼓台北洞是龍門石窟中開鑿較早,規模較大的密教造像石窟。北洞為穹隆頂,馬蹄形平面,高4米,寬4.9米,窟頂為蓮花藻井,周圍環繞四身飛天,因風化剝蝕而漫漶不清。窟內左、中、右三壁各造一尊坐佛,其中正壁主佛為一寶冠佛,頭帶寶冠,著臂釧,佩項圈,斜披絡腋,為菩薩裝,結跏趺坐於束腰疊澀高台座上,像高2.45米,結跏趺坐於0.9米高的須彌台坐之上。

窟內前壁南側,雕有八臂觀音一尊,像高1.83米,跣足坐於圓形台座上,前壁北側雕有四臂十一面觀音,像高1.9米,跣足立在圓形台座上,頭像於20世紀上半葉被盜鑿而流失海外,現藏於日本大原美術館。



擂鼓台北洞的密宗造像該窟平面為馬蹄形,穹隆頂,高4米,寬4.9米,深5.4米。三壁各大像一尊。窟頂殘存蓮花藻井,周圍四身飛天,漫漶剝蝕嚴重。


窟內主像大日如來身高2.45米,風化嚴重。窺其遺存,結跏趺坐於正壁須彌座上,座高0.9米。像螺髻,戴飾有化佛的寶冠,面部已風化。頸部刻橫紋四道,戴尖項飾。身佩瓔珞,著右袒袈裟。手置足上,右臂下垂戴釧。殘存舟形背光,頭光中層飾七佛,其餘風化難辨。



前壁南側雕八臂觀音一尊,跣足立於圓台座上,身高1.83米。頭部經後世補塑,有圓耳飾垂肩。頸戴桃形項飾。上體袒露,身佩瓔珞,肩搭披巾,下著長裙。八臂:左側自上而下第一手持物舉胸前,第二手伸五指舉至齊肩,第三手拇、中指捏一物上舉,第四手伸五指下垂身側;右側僅殘存第一臂上部。



前壁北側雕四臂觀音一尊,赤足立於圓台座上,身高1.9米。頭已殘毀,雙足已風化脫落。左側上手拇、中指捏一物舉至齊肩,下手握物下垂;右側上手殘毀,下手捻珠下垂。其餘服飾與南側八臂觀音同。


擂鼓台北洞前壁右側八臂觀音菩薩像 現藏於日本倉敷市大原美術館


擂鼓台北洞窟楣上方的观音龛位于擂鼓台北洞窟楣南端上方,龛内刻八臂观音一尊,赤足立于圆台座上,身高0.46米。像虽风化,但尚较完整。头残,身微曲。上身袒露,肩搭披巾,身佩璎珞,下着长裙。八臂:左侧自上至下第一手持物举至胸前,第二手握圆物举至齐肩,第三臂微曲平举,第四手持瓶下垂;右侧第一手持物举至齐肩,第二臂微曲上举,第三臂下垂,手捏物,第四臂贴身下垂,手握物。



万佛沟的千手千眼观音龛位于万佛沟里北壁,南向,龛高2.4米,宽1.71米,深0.35米。龛内造一观音立像,风化剥蚀严重。身高2.3米,三眼十二臂。高髻,戴化佛冠,额中刻一眼。上身袒露,饰璎珞,披巾自肩部下垂贴于身体两侧,下着长裙。


十二臂丰腴圆润,皆戴钏,作不同曲伸动作。身前六臂:上二臂及中二臂举至胸前,下二臂伸置腹前。身侧六臂:左侧上手托一板状物举至头侧。中手平伸,下手斜伸向下;右则上手上举,中手平伸,下手斜伸向下。观音身躯周围遍刻小手臂,呈放射状,手展开,掌心皆刻一眼。



擂鼓台院文物廊內的大日如來像像1:據調查此像原由龍門某寺院移入擂鼓台中洞石壇上,1982年又從洞里遷此。像高1.92米,結跏趺坐於須彌座上。像寶冠殘毀,顯露螺髻。面略長,較平,雙目俯視,眉梢及眼梢上斜,額中央刻白毫相,鼻殘破,唇較厚,緊閉。戴尖項飾,著右袒袈裟,農褶圓潤。左臂手展掌置右足上;右手掌心向下撫右膝。胸部突起,腰較細。座高O.89米,束腰部分四角及前後面中央各刻一力士,下沿雕覆蓮瓣一匝。


像2:此尊大日如來系七十年代中在偃師縣劉井村收集而來。像高1.7米,結跏趺坐於須彌座上。螺髻,面豐圓。姿勢及服飾與像1大體相同。須彌座高O.69米,束腰四角各雕一天王支撐;前部正中鑿一小龕,內造一天王,腳踏夜叉。但此像造型笨拙,缺乏生氣,似系晚唐或宋代雕造。



舊金山亞洲藝術博物館藏龍門擂鼓台佛首



Head of the Buddha Maitreya

PLACE OF ORIGIN: China

DATE: approx. 700

MATERIALS: Limestone

DIMENSIONSH. 26 in x W. 17 in x D. 12 in, H. 66 cm x W. 43.2 cm x D. 30.5 cm


CREDIT LINE: The Avery Brundage Collection

OBJECT NUMBER: B60S38+


ON VIEW

LOCATION: Gallery 16


This large head once belonged to the principal figure, the Maitreya, in the main cave of the Leigutai complex at Longmen. It is a remarkable example of Buddhist sculpture produced with the support of the Tang court. Despite its large scale, the head was sensitively rendered and finely finished, with great care given to details such as the hair, the eyes, and the fullness of the cheeks. The Buddhist caves at Longmen were particularly favored by Empress Wu Zetian, because she often stayed in nearby Luoyang, the dynasty’s eastern capital.



New findings at Buddhist caves of Longmen


Archaeologists have made a stunning discovery of more than 80 stone carvings and building units, dating back about 1,300 years, at the Leigutai caves of the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang, Henan province.


The Longmen Grottoes Research Institute, which oversees the UNESCO World Heritage Site, made the announcement as the Leigutai caves reopened to the public on April 10 after renovation.


The relics, found during renovation inside the west wall of the south cave of Leigutai, which sits on the east hill of the grottoes, are believed to have been used as materials to strengthen the wall during restoration work after an earthquake struck the area in the 16th century.


“This is the first time archaeologists have found statues inside a wall at the Longmen Grottoes,” Lu Wei, director of the history and humanities research center of the institute, told China Daily.


The grottoes were first built in AD 493. In the 14 centuries that followed, rulers of different dynasties and numerous pilgrims kept expanding their scale. There are currently more than 2,300 caves and niches on the steep cliffs of two hills flanking the Yihe River.


The Leigutai site, boasting three major parallel caves and dozens of smaller caves and niches, was built on the east hill during the reign of Empress Wu Zetian (690-705) of the Tang Dynasty (618-907).


In recent years, cracks surfaced on the walls and roof of the Leigutai south cave and falling bricks posed serious risk for visitors.


Ma Chaolong, director of the protection center at the institute, told Henan Daily in an interview that the situation worsened after heavy rains in Henan in 2021 led to water leakage. The renovation work was completed earlier this month.


Lu, the history and humanities research center director, said workers engaged in the project noticed a bulge on the west wall of the south cave.


When they pulled down the wall, they found an array of exquisite stone statues, pottery statuettes used for decorating rooftops and bearing stones used to support doors, he said.



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