A study on the content of the Silk Road Manuscript "The Transformation of the Sutra of Gratitude
Key Points
Identifying images in the Sutra of Gratitude reveals insights into Buddhist iconography and its cultural implications.
The manuscript aligns closely with themes of filial piety, important in traditional Chinese values and art.
The study emphasizes the significance of Buddhism's evolution in shaping Chinese culture during the Tang Dynasty.
Challenges in recognizing these images underscore the complexity of historical visual representations in manuscripts.
Abstract
After Buddhism was introduced to China, it underwent a long and complex evolution process, profoundly influencing the formation of Chinese culture and art forms. The Tang Dynasty silk manuscript "The Transformation of the Sutra of Gratitude" has garnered significant attention from scholars both at home and abroad due to its unique visual content and alignment with traditional Chinese filial piety. This paper aims to address the challenge of identifying the identity of images in "The Transformation of the Sutra of Gratitude" from an iconographic research perspective.