ABOUT
This exhibition will primarily display the restored musical instruments appearing on the Dunhuang mural paintings and the facsimiles of the mural paintings by SHI Dunyu, which are collected by NCPA. Audiences will appreciate the Dunhuang Jiyue (fairies with musical instruments) in three different styles: Flying Jiyue, Sutra Painting Jiyue and Kalavinka Jiyue.
Dunhuang City is in Gansu Province in the northwestern China. In ancient China, during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - 8 AD), envoy ZHANG Qian initiated the famous “Silk Road”, a trade route from ancient China to the West, in which Dunhuang serves as the major crossroad. Since countless envoys, traveling merchants and monks passed through the Silk Road, Dunhuang has become a place of fusion of Chinese and Western cultures. Over the years, the Dunghuang Caves have become a rich art treasure of frescoes and painted sculptures, of which Jiyue stands out with its unique charm.
Dunhuang City is in Gansu Province in the northwestern China. In ancient China, during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - 8 AD), envoy ZHANG Qian initiated the famous “Silk Road”, a trade route from ancient China to the West, in which Dunhuang serves as the major crossroad. Since countless envoys, traveling merchants and monks passed through the Silk Road, Dunhuang has become a place of fusion of Chinese and Western cultures. Over the years, the Dunghuang Caves have become a rich art treasure of frescoes and painted sculptures, of which Jiyue stands out with its unique charm.
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SELECTED EXHIBITS
The Flying Jiyue
The image of Flying Jiyue originated from the deities Gandharva and Kinnara, who are good at singing and music playing. In the course of development, images of the two deities were gradually integrated, evolving into the Flying Jiyue, with the image of deity scattering flowers, playing music and dancing.
With a history of over 1,000 years, the Flying Jiyue has been featured large quantities among the Dunhuang mural paintings. Usually with musical instruments, their graceful images can be found on the roof of the cave, sunk panel, entral post, inside and outside niches, sutra paintings, sermon illustrations, etc.
With a history of over 1,000 years, the Flying Jiyue has been featured large quantities among the Dunhuang mural paintings. Usually with musical instruments, their graceful images can be found on the roof of the cave, sunk panel, entral post, inside and outside niches, sutra paintings, sermon illustrations, etc.
Up: Double Flying Jiyue
Grotto No. 390, Mogao Caves, Sui Dynasty (581–618)
Copied by SHI Dunyu
Collected by NCPA
Down: Dragon Phoenix Flute
Right: Flying Jiyue
Grotto No. 329, Mogao Caves, Early Tang Dynasty
Copied by SHI Dunyu
Collected by NCPA
Left: Rosewood Five-stringed Pipa
Sutra Painting Jiyue
Sutra painting is also called “Bianxiang”, which means to illustrate the Sutra in the form of painting. Sutra painting has a relatively fixed pattern. On the stage, which is the front part of the painting, music and dance scenes are shown in groups with bands surrounding the performers. In different pieces of “Sutra Painting Jiyue”, the number of Jiyue and musical instruments are different. A small band only consists of three or four persons, while a big band includes nearly 30.
Up: Jiyue Bodhi-sattva/ Buddha
Grotto No. 148, Mogao Caves, The Glorious Age of Tang Dynasty(650-820)
Copied by SHI Dunyu
Collected by NCPA
Down: Waist Drum
,
Up: Dancing Scene with Pipa
Grotto No. 112, Mogao Caves, the middle period of Tang Dynasty (766-835)
Copied by SHI Dunyu
Collected by NCPA
Down: Konghou (left), Rattles (upper right), Rosewood Straight-neck Pipa (down right)
Right: Double Jiyue Dancing and Musical Playing Scene
Grotto No. 156, Mogao Caves, Late Tang Dynasty (875（or 755）— 907 )
Copied by SHI Dunyu
Collected by NCPA
Left: Mahogany Curve-neck Pipa
Dancing and Music Playing Scene in the Amitabha Sutra
Grotto No. 61, Mogao Caves, the Five Dynasties (907–960)
Copied by SHI Dunyu
Collected by NCPA
Karavika Jiyue
Kalavinka Jiyue in the Amitayurdhyana Sutra
Grotto 172, Mogao Caves, The glorious age of Tang Dynasty (650-820)
Copied by SHI Dunyu
Collected by NCPA
Kalavinka Jiyue Dancing with Two Boys
Grotto No. 156, Mogao Caves, Late Tang Dynasty, (875 (or 755)- 907)
Copied by SHI Dunyu
Collected by NCPA
Grotto No. 112, Mogao Caves, the middle period of Tang Dynasty (766-835)
Copied by SHI Dunyu
Collected by NCPA
Down: Konghou (left), Rattles (upper right), Rosewood Straight-neck Pipa (down right)
Right: Double Jiyue Dancing and Musical Playing Scene
Grotto No. 156, Mogao Caves, Late Tang Dynasty (875（or 755）— 907 )
Copied by SHI Dunyu
Collected by NCPA
Left: Mahogany Curve-neck Pipa
Dancing and Music Playing Scene in the Amitabha Sutra
Grotto No. 61, Mogao Caves, the Five Dynasties (907–960)
Copied by SHI Dunyu
Collected by NCPA
Karavika Jiyue
Karavika is the bird with a melodious voice. With the image of human’s head and bird’s body, Karavika features colourful feathers, a crane-like body shape, spread wings, and a Boy crown or Bodhisattva crown on its head. In the Kalavinka Jiyue, Karavika usually plays musical instruments or dances with its spread wings to create a joyful and auspicious atmosphere for the heaven.
Kalavinka Jiyue in the Amitayurdhyana Sutra
Grotto 172, Mogao Caves, The glorious age of Tang Dynasty (650-820)
Copied by SHI Dunyu
Collected by NCPA
Kalavinka Jiyue Dancing with Two Boys
Grotto No. 156, Mogao Caves, Late Tang Dynasty, (875 (or 755)- 907)
Copied by SHI Dunyu
Collected by NCPA
The Flying Jiyue
The image of Flying Jiyue originated from the deities Gandharva and Kinnara, who are good at singing and music playing. In the course of development, images of the two deities were gradually integrated, evolving into the Flying Jiyue, with the image of deity scattering flowers, playing music and dancing.
With a history of over 1,000 years, the Flying Jiyue has been featured large quantities among the Dunhuang mural paintings. Usually with musical instruments, their graceful images can be found on the roof of the cave, sunk panel, entral post, inside and outside niches, sutra paintings, sermon illustrations, etc.
With a history of over 1,000 years, the Flying Jiyue has been featured large quantities among the Dunhuang mural paintings. Usually with musical instruments, their graceful images can be found on the roof of the cave, sunk panel, entral post, inside and outside niches, sutra paintings, sermon illustrations, etc.
Up: Double Flying Jiyue
Grotto No. 390, Mogao Caves, Sui Dynasty (581–618)
Copied by SHI Dunyu
Collected by NCPA
Down: Dragon Phoenix Flute
Right: Flying Jiyue
Grotto No. 329, Mogao Caves, Early Tang Dynasty
Copied by SHI Dunyu
Collected by NCPA
Left: Rosewood Five-stringed Pipa
Sutra Painting Jiyue
Sutra painting is also called “Bianxiang”, which means to illustrate the Sutra in the form of painting. Sutra painting has a relatively fixed pattern. On the stage, which is the front part of the painting, music and dance scenes are shown in groups with bands surrounding the performers. In different pieces of “Sutra Painting Jiyue”, the number of Jiyue and musical instruments are different. A small band only consists of three or four persons, while a big band includes nearly 30.
Up: Jiyue Bodhi-sattva/ Buddha
Grotto No. 148, Mogao Caves, The Glorious Age of Tang Dynasty(650-820)
Copied by SHI Dunyu
Collected by NCPA
Down: Waist Drum
,
Up: Dancing Scene with Pipa
Grotto No. 112, Mogao Caves, the middle period of Tang Dynasty (766-835)
Copied by SHI Dunyu
Collected by NCPA
Down: Konghou (left), Rattles (upper right), Rosewood Straight-neck Pipa (down right)
Right: Double Jiyue Dancing and Musical Playing Scene
Grotto No. 156, Mogao Caves, Late Tang Dynasty (875（or 755）— 907 )
Copied by SHI Dunyu
Collected by NCPA
Left: Mahogany Curve-neck Pipa
Dancing and Music Playing Scene in the Amitabha Sutra
Grotto No. 61, Mogao Caves, the Five Dynasties (907–960)
Copied by SHI Dunyu
Collected by NCPA
Karavika Jiyue
Kalavinka Jiyue in the Amitayurdhyana Sutra
Grotto 172, Mogao Caves, The glorious age of Tang Dynasty (650-820)
Copied by SHI Dunyu
Collected by NCPA
Kalavinka Jiyue Dancing with Two Boys
Grotto No. 156, Mogao Caves, Late Tang Dynasty, (875 (or 755)- 907)
Copied by SHI Dunyu
Collected by NCPA
Grotto No. 112, Mogao Caves, the middle period of Tang Dynasty (766-835)
Copied by SHI Dunyu
Collected by NCPA
Down: Konghou (left), Rattles (upper right), Rosewood Straight-neck Pipa (down right)
Right: Double Jiyue Dancing and Musical Playing Scene
Grotto No. 156, Mogao Caves, Late Tang Dynasty (875（or 755）— 907 )
Copied by SHI Dunyu
Collected by NCPA
Left: Mahogany Curve-neck Pipa
Dancing and Music Playing Scene in the Amitabha Sutra
Grotto No. 61, Mogao Caves, the Five Dynasties (907–960)
Copied by SHI Dunyu
Collected by NCPA
Karavika Jiyue
Karavika is the bird with a melodious voice. With the image of human’s head and bird’s body, Karavika features colourful feathers, a crane-like body shape, spread wings, and a Boy crown or Bodhisattva crown on its head. In the Kalavinka Jiyue, Karavika usually plays musical instruments or dances with its spread wings to create a joyful and auspicious atmosphere for the heaven.
Kalavinka Jiyue in the Amitayurdhyana Sutra
Grotto 172, Mogao Caves, The glorious age of Tang Dynasty (650-820)
Copied by SHI Dunyu
Collected by NCPA
Kalavinka Jiyue Dancing with Two Boys
Grotto No. 156, Mogao Caves, Late Tang Dynasty, (875 (or 755)- 907)
Copied by SHI Dunyu
Collected by NCPA
