The Study Of The Image Of Acarya Avalokitesvara

The　purpose　of　this　thesis　is　to　critically　analyze　the　origin,　Image-making,　development,　popularity,　affect　and　the　significance　of　the　Image　of　Acarya　Avalokitesvara　in　the　Nanzhao　and　Dali　Kingdoms.The　study　also　pays　attention　to　its　influence　on　Buddhist　culture　and　Baizu　literature.　To　know　the　Image　of　Acarya　Avalokitesvara　alone　,is　to　know　but　half　its　story.To　prehend　it　to　the　full,we　must　follow　it　in　the　wake　of　Buddhism,　to　Central　China,　and　the　Southeast　Asia　.I　try　to　make　an　iconological　contrast　and　investgation　on　the　source　of　Image　of　Acarya　Avalokitesvara　by　comparing　it　with　that　of　Tang　Dynasty　and　Song　Dynasty　as　well　as　all　kinds　of　different　styles　of　Images　of　Avalokitesvara　in　Southeast　Asia.　I　use　these　Images　of　Avalokitesvara　to　prove　that　the　Image　and　the　style　of　Acarya　Avalokitesvara　came　from　the　Southest　Asia,not　from　the　Tang　Dynasty　as　many　people　have　thought　before;　my　method　of　study　is　somewhat　different　from　that　often　used　by　former　scholars.　The　Kings　of　Nanzhao　used　the　Acarya　Avalokitesvara　to　prove　that　Nanzhao　was　a　powerful　and　highly　organized　state,　having　a　very　high　level　in　culture,　religion,　economy　and　many　other　parts　,in　a　word　,Nanzhao　was　a　civilized　state,　so　they　couldn't　endure　Han　Nationality　looking　upon　them　as　barbarous.　Here　I　use　the　Nanzhao　tuchuan　to　prove　that　this　scroll　was　intentionally　made　by　the　ruler,　showing　that　the　Buddhism　and　Buddhist　Art　of　Nanzhao　was　not　from　the　Tang　Dynasty　,but　from　India,　thus　Nanzhao　had　no　relation　with　the　Tang　Dynasty.　In　fact,　we　know　Nanzhao　was　established　with　the　help　of　the　Tang　Dynasty,its　culture　,Buddhism,　and　Buddhist　Art　were　greatly　and　deeply　influenced　by　the　traditionaly　Chinese　culture,　the　mutual　relation　between　them　was　very　intimate.　It　is　certain　that　Nanzhao　had　a　profound　affinity　with　China,　to　whom　she　owed　all　her　interllecture　culture.Therefore　we　think,　due　to　the　racial　discrimination　from　the　traditional　Chinese　concept,　the　ruler　employed　the　Acarya　Avalokitesvara　to　risist　the　Han　culture　,　the　Acarya　Avalokitesvara　belief　of　Nanzhao　had　a　special　purpose,it　had　manifested　the　independence　and　self-confidence　of　Nanzhao　Kingdom.　Thus　the　Acarya　Avalokitesvara　played　a　very　important　role　in　Nanzhao　kingdom.　In　addition,　the　emperor　Longshuen　of　Nanzhao　used　the　Buddhist　cakravartin　tradition　or　the　Avalokitesvara　Buddharaja　tradition,which　was　very　prevalent　in　Southeast　Asia　and　in　　Empress　Wuzetian　period　from　the　7th　centure　A.D.The　rulers　of　Nanzhao　ruled　the　country　with　the　Buddhist　political　ideology,　they　were　King　and　Buddha　or　Avalokitesvara　in　one.　The　Image　of　Acarya　Avalokitesvara　was　the　proof.　In　conclusion,　the　author　points　out　that　the　Acarya　Avalokitesvara　belief　and　its　cult　of　Nanzhao　had　particular　significance,it　is　the　spiritual　symbol　of　Empire　Consciousness　and　baizu　national　consciousness.After　Nanzhao　kingdom,Dali　kingdom　continued　the　development　of　this　belief,　we　can　see　the　figure　of　the　Acarya　Avalokitesvara　in　the　Nanzhao　Tuzhuan,　Chang　Sheng-Wen's　Long　handscroll　and　in　the　Jianchuan　grottoes.Since　then,　the　worship　and　the　belief　in　the　Image　of　Acarya　Avalokitesvara　has　been　favored　among　Baizu　nationatily　utill　now.　The　Image　of　Acarya　Avalokitesvara　is　a　famous　Buddhist　sculpture　of　Yunnan,　characterized　by　gorgeousness,　ingenuity,　and　the　feature　of　the　illustrious　fine　arts　of　Nanzhao.　It　has　a　beauty　for　viewing,　with　both　decorative　elements　and　religious,　we　should　highly　value　such　a　work.　From　this　beautiful　work　of　art　,　we　can　find　not　only　a　religious　character,　but　also　the　origin　of　the　image,　moreover　as　well　as　the　function.　And　it　is　a　very　meaningful　matter　for　the　seeking　of　the　artistic　value　and　historical　value　in　the　work　of　art.