A Study Of Buddhist Cultural Geography In The Kucha Area During The Han And Tang Dynasties

Kucha region is located in the middle of the southern foot of Tianshan,which is a vital of pass of the silk road.Precisely because of the favourable geographical position,the region has become a gathering place for eastern and western religious culture,and Buddhism was introduced here in the second Century BC.However,due to the slow development of the social economy and the prevalence of other religious cultures in the Kucha region,Buddhism was not been widely spread after it was introduced into this region,It did not enter the period of vigorous development until the third century AD.Buddhism flourished for more than a thousand years in Kucha region.During this period,its culture system has been supplemented by Han Buddhism and Uighur Buddhism,which made its connotation enriched.At the end of the 11 th century,Buddhism in this area was also undermined by the religious war,and eventually replaced by Islam.During the period of the Jin and Tang Dynasties,Buddhism in the Kucha area was prevalent and Buddhist temples stand in great numbers.The existing Buddhist cultural landscapes in Jin and Tang dynasties have diverse types and considerable quantity,which providing abundant materials for the study of the Buddhist Cultural Geography in this area.The Buddhist cultural landscape in the Kucha area is regional.Although its style is similar to the architectural style of the culture of Central Asia and gadhara,but it also forms a “Kucha type” of Buddhist cultural landscape based on the geographical environment of the region.In addition,the distribution of Buddhist cultural landscapes in the Kucha area is regular.It is widely distributed from west to east,and is mostly built in eastern central cities such as Baicheng and Kuche.But the Stone Cave Temples are different from the Buddhist temples.And they they are mostly excavated on the hills,which place are relatively far away from the city,close to the river and near the traffic line.In the thousands of years since Buddhism dominated the belief system,the Buddhist culture continues to spread outwards,and it influenced the surrounding countries,far to the mainland of the Central Plains.In the long and narrow banding range,it formed a “culture belt of sarvastivadin thinking”,which was in the center of the Kucha region and included Yanqi and Shule.In addition,the Buddhist culture in the Kucha region also played a key role in the development of Buddhism in the Central Plains,especially represented the activities of the translation and promotion ofBuddhisint by the kucha monks.