佛教肇始于印度,经过两千五百年多年的衍变与传播,而今影响早已遍及寰宇,跨越了文化与种族。中国因地处亚洲,与印度相邻近,早在东汉明帝(约公元一世纪)时,便有白马驮经入洛之说。伴随佛法之东传,佛教艺术亦传入华夏,与本土文化相交汇融合。
汉唐之际,西域之文化与商品多经由“丝绸之路”进入我国。今甘肃地区位于我国西部,连接黄土、青藏、蒙古三大高原,西凭河西走廊,控“丝绸之路”之咽喉,东藉陇山雄险,屏关中之门户,自古以来就是中西文化交流的通道。佛教向东经由这条道路传入中原,首及河西地区,佛教传入我国内地过程中,甘肃全境是最早得闻佛法的地区之一。
甘肃省博物馆收藏佛教经典、造像等文物十分丰富,此次特别从中选择三十五件精美的早期佛教文物,以“佛的形象”、“佛的铭记”、“佛的言教”为主线,展现中国早期佛教发展的源流与历程。
台湾艺术家李真数十年来致力于“佛陀·中国”的创作,具见当代人对佛教文化与艺术的理解。今选展出其创作作品七件,配合甘肃省博物馆早期佛教文物的展示,尝试古今并陈,既是交锋,也是映照,相隔已是千年,法相无非庄严。
是为序。
苏州博物馆馆长陈瑞近
Buddhism originated in India. After over 2,500 years of evolution and spreading, it has transcended the differences between cultures and races, with an influence all over the world. As early as the Eastern Han dynasty (ca. 1st century C.E.), legend had it that monks came to Luoyang with white horses carrying Buddhist classics on their back, due to China’s location in Asia and proximity to India. With the spreading of Buddhism, Buddhist art was also introduced to China, which blended and integrated with local culture.
During the time of Han and Tang dynasty, the culture and commodities of the Western Regions were mostly introduced to China through the Silk Road. Located in the western part of China, Gansu province connects the Loess Plateau, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and Mongolian Plateau. It occupies a key position in the Silk Road with Hexi Corridor to the west, and plays the role as the portal to Guanzhong Plain with the magnificent Mt. Longshan to the east. Therefore, Gansu province has been a strategic place for cultural exchanges between China and the West since ancient times. Buddhism was introduced to the Central Plains through this passage from westward to eastward, and Gansu was one of the first areas to be influenced by Buddhism.
Gansu Provincial Museum is abundant in collection of Buddhist scriptures, statues and other relics. We have specially selected 35 early exquisite Buddhist relics and divided them into three parts to showcase the origin and development of Buddhism in China in early years.
The Taiwan-based artist Li Chen has devoted himself to the creation of “Buddha and China” for decades, which manifests people’s understanding of Buddhist culture and art in contemporary times. With an attempt to juxtapose the ancient and modern objects, we have selected seven pieces of his works in conjunction with the display of the early Buddhist relics from Gansu Provincial Museum to both confront and reflect with each other. Far across a lapse of a thousand years, the Buddhist statues remain solemn and dignified.
The above serves as the preface.
DirectorofSuzhouMuseum,ChenRuijin