DCAM Lecture Review | "Reflecting and Returning: Research on Dunhuang Grotto Images"
On March 30, 2025, Professor Zhang Shansheng from the Dunhuang Studies Institute at Lanzhou University held an extended lecture at Room 1601, West Building, Guanghua Tower, Fudan University, themed "Reflecting and Returning: Research on Dunhuang Grotto Images."
Professor Zhang systematically reviewed the academic development of Dunhuang grotto research and shared his recent findings. He began with an overview of the Dunhuang grottoes, which include major sites such as the Mogao Caves, Yulin Caves, and Dongqianfo Caves, with the Mogao Caves being the most renowned. There are 735 existing caves, 45,000 square meters of murals, and over 50,000 artifacts from The Thousand-Scripture Caves, making it a jewel of multi-ethnic cultural exchange on the Silk Road and one of the world's largest Buddhist grotto complexes. Professor Zhang emphasized the paramount importance of Dunhuang grottoes in China and the world's cultural heritage.
He then traced the evolution of academic research on Dunhuang, from archaeological foundations like the "General Catalogue of Dunhuang Grottoes" and digital preservation projects, to in-depth analysis of images and texts. He highlighted the complex nonlinear relationship between Dunhuang murals and Buddhist scriptures and proposed new interpretive frameworks. On the evolution of artistic styles, he discussed the trajectory of Chinese Buddhist art from foreign influences to localization. He also explored the interplay between Dunhuang art and sociohistorical contexts, analyzing the multifunctionality of Buddhist doctrines and grottoes, and underscored the coexistence of "merit" and "utilitarian" niches, along with the importance of holistic cave research.
Focusing on the "Subduing Demons" theme and Mogao Caves 72 and 395, Professor Zhang analyzed the evolution of "Subduing Demons" from the Northern Dynasties to the Tubo period, revealing cultural exchanges between Dunhuang and regions like Khotan. Using Cave 72 as an example, he emphasized the integrated study of architecture and images, detailing the connection between the "Cool Auspicious Image" on the south wall and the cave layout. For Cave 395, he noted its renovations from the Sui to Western Xia dynasties, where images closely align with Buddhist doctrines, fully expressing the Avalokitesvara faith.
Finally, Professor Zhang pointed out that Dunhuang studies are entering a new phase of interdisciplinary and comprehensive research. Image studies are breaking traditional historical and iconographical boundaries, incorporating art history, sociology, and religious studies. The research perspective has also expanded from individual caves to comprehensive grotto group studies. He stressed that understanding Dunhuang art requires returning to its historical context and recognizing the grottoes' dual identity as didactic art and functional religious spaces.
During the Q&A session, participants actively discussed topics such as the relationship between Dunhuang images and texts, and grotto structures. Professor Zhang noted that foreign art was absorbed and reorganized in Dunhuang, leaving a legacy for future generations. This multicultural convergence and "cultural layering" process constitutes the unique and profound significance of Dunhuang art research.
