The Power of Form:A Study of the Form of the Images of the Emperor and Empress Worshipping Buddha
The images of the emperor and empress worshipping Buddha represent a unique category within Buddhist patron statues,characterised by the central figures wearing a diadem or a jewelled crown,with attendants surrounding them or following closely behind,all in movement.The images of the emperor and empress worshipping Buddha that emerged during the Northern Wei dynasty were mainly found in the Binyang Central Cave of the Longmen Grottoes and the first cave of the Gongyi Grottoes.In the Binyang Central Cave,the viewer is confronted with a complex master-servant style,not only for the purpose of worship and prayer for blessings,but also to guide the deceased emperor and empress forward,under the protection of the Buddha,through the complex pathways formed by the attendants and their gazes.In the Gongyi Grottoes,emphasis is deliberately laid on aspects such as identity,status,order,and orthodoxy,which may constitute a further development of the process of sinicisation,while also adopting a regular form to reflect the dignity and authority of the emperor and empress.
Images of the emperor and empress worshipping BuddhaLongmen GrottoesGongyi GrottoesPatron statuesImperial images
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