The Archaeological Study Of The Jakata Tales With The Theme On Sacrifice In Kizil Grottoes And Mogao Grottoes From Northern Dynasties To Tang Dynasty

The Jakata tales with sacrifice theme is one kind of Buddhist stories.Jakata tales acted as a transmitter and existed in the forms of wall paintings,statues and other carriers.Kizil Caves and Mogao Caves are the two main and most representative caves for Jakata tales with sacrifice theme from Northern Dynasties to Tang Dynasty,there are more then 100 cases were reported,which provides rich materials for archaeological research.This paper studies the Jakata tales with sacrifice theme from Northern Dynasties to Tang Dynasty and finishes typological research on these tales through catalogs from Kizil Caves and Mogao Caves.Based on themes,structures,plots,painting styles and other related issues,the second and third chapters classified the Jakata tales at Kizil Caves into three periods: transition period,Kucha-style formalization period,and decline period;while the Jakata tales at Mogao Caves can be grouped into four periods: exotic period,Han-style transition period,Han-style formalization and decline period,and reviving period.Furthermore,the trend and traits of localization are also included in the discussion.It’s concluded that the Jakata tales at Kizil Caves and Mogao Caves had interacted at some point while they also had distinctions.This paper offers additional proof for the routes spreading Buddhism and discusses religion changes and social thoughts at that time through summarizing the traits and trends of the Jakata tales with sacrifice theme at Kizil Grottoes and Mogao Grottoes.