Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.45

v1.c7.45

*Xiang jiao* (teaching of images) is a special appellation used in Buddhism for Buddhist art such as Buddhist images and paintings. Its studies facilitate our historical comprehension of the process and the development of Buddhism for more than 2,000 years. The origin and rise of Buddhist art in China owe much to the influence of the Indian Buddhist Art. Scholars generally divide the art of Indian Buddhist images into four periods: The first one is from the 3rd century BCE beginning with Emperor Aśoka, up to hundred years after him. In this period, Buddha’s images had not as yet appeared. There just were artistic representations of persons, spirits, animals etc, which had a relation with Buddha’s life and with stories. Reaching a considerable number during a short period, these art figures were powerful and majestic as well as prosperous and moving reflecting awesome energy. The lion’s throne and relief sculpture now kept in the Sarnath Museum is a representative work of this period. The second period is that of Gandharan art which characterises the Mahayana Buddhist art form of India. It witnessed emergence of images of the Buddha and of *bodhisattvas*. Because they had absorbed the sculptural art of ancient Greece in their creative technique, the models possessed a strong and realistic feeling. The engraved Buddhist images had deep eyebrows and a high nose and the ornaments were simple, the lines protruding. The third period was that of Gupta art, from about the middle of the 4th century to about the middle of the 7th century. This was the most prolific period for the production of Buddhist images which reflected the return of the art to native roots and local tradition.