Vadas József (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 12. (Budapest, 1992)

FAJCSÁK Györgyi: Kínai sztúpa díszítése az i. sz. 7. századból

ever, the quadrangular stupa form is also related to die Central Asian forms of stupas such as in Khotan dating from die fifth and sixdi centuries A.D.

16 As the principal monument of Indian Buddhism had been the stupa, so it was die pagoda that dominated Chinese temples until late in the Six Dynasties (sixth century A.D.). The closest Chinese approximation to the Indian stupa, the one-storeyed design, can be seen in die small "four door pagoda" (Si men ta) of Shen-tong-si in Shandong dated A.D. 544. A simple form of die square, singlc-storeyed building widi a pedestal and a dome is rising out of a foliated acrotcria. Later almost all extant Tang pagodas rise from a square plan and all arc of masonry. As L. Sickman wrote summarizing the sinicised Tang masonry pagodas : "... what might be called die basic pagoda unit is a cube widi a simple corbelled cornice and a roughly pyramidal superstructure crowned by some sort of spire." 17 Three famous pagodas can be related to the pagoda of the Xiuding Monastery. One is at Lai-shui-xian in Hebei dated A.D.712, another is on Mount Fang (also in Hebei province), and the third is on Mount Song in Henan province dated A.D.791. These one-storeyed masonry pagodas differ only slightiy from die small "four door pagodas" (Si men ta); nevertheless, it can be clearly seen that the main features of Tang style, such as the doors covered by a pointed arched frame protected by a pair of guardian deities, and die roofs were made to simulate tiling. During the Tang period pagoda design was more and more strongly affected by habits of building in wood. The one-storeyed form of pagodas, however, seems to have been more popular than constructed remains suggest since it is frequently found on cave walls or as reliquary boxes.

18 The diamond pattern on die walls of die pagoda at the Xiuding Monastery is, however, the most significant aspect of its decoration. As Chinese art historians have pointed out, the diamond pattern goes back to the wall-paintings of the cave-temples at Kizil, near Kucha in Xinjiang Province (Kizil Cave 8, 17).

19 This lozenge-shaped ground pattern with lobed frames and bright colours was used in the wall-paintings to frame and to spearate the several scenes of the jataka-storics. Similar diamond-shaped wall decoration can be seen in other cave-temples near Kucha.

20 The diamond-shaped ground motif also appeared at Dunhuang; the ceiling of cave 427 has lozenge-shaped decoration filled widi lion and phoenix figures joined by flowers in die comers; however, the lobed frame has disappeared.

21 Another function of diamond- or lozenge-shaped panels can be realized in Chinese cave-temples. Formerly these panels served as trimming to separate the different elements of the decoration. Later lozenge-shaped panels alternating with square-shaped panels became parts of the friezes. These friezes filled with relief can be seen surrounding the niches in die cavetemples at Yüngang, Longmen, Gongxian, Xiangtangshan, etc. Above the niches these arc filled widi floral motifs, monster masks, gandharvas, etc." 22 The origin of using lozcngc-shapcd borders went further back to the Han dynasty (B.C. 206-A.D. 220). Lozengeshaped weaving fragments from Lou-Ian, as well as stamped bricks and burial objects decorating tombs, cast light on the history of diis design.

23 The decoration of the pagoda of the Xiuding Monastery, die diamond-shaped forms of the panels filled with Central Asian bearded figures, musicians, Islamic floral motifs as well as the concept of die