Ryumon Grottoes

It is a representative Chinese cave temple, which is on a par with the Yungang Grottoes, and is located about 14 km south of Luoyang City. It was registered as a World Heritage Site in 2000 (World Cultural Heritage). Yique Mountain, where the caves are located, is divided into the West Mountain and the East Mountain by the Yi River, and many caves of various sizes are carved into the limestone cliffs, each of which has a large number of Buddha statues carved inside. The number of caves is recorded as 1,352 caves, 750 niches, 39 stone towers, and 97,306 Buddha statues (Longmen Storage). The caves began in the Northern Wei dynasty, continued through the Sui and Tang dynasties, and spanned the Five Dynasties and Song dynasties, but the main parts were built during the heyday of Buddhist art from the end of the 5th century to the late 7th century. The group of caves in Xishan, where the Northern Wei caves are located, is famous for Guyang Cave, Binyang Cave, and Renge Cave, and contains many excellent examples of Northern Wei Buddhist statues. The Great Vairocana Buddha in Fengxianji Cave in the center of Xishan is a huge stone Buddha statue over 17 meters high. Along with the attendant Bodhisattva, Arhat, Divine King, and Nio statues, it is a masterpiece that represents the pinnacle of Tang dynasty sculpture, and its sculptural technique and high quality are particularly noteworthy. It was built by Emperor Gaozong of the Tang dynasty and Empress Wu Zetian, and was completed in 675. Kangyoji Cave in East Mountain and other caves were also built in the Tang dynasty. To the north of East Mountain is the tomb of Bai Juyi. Compared to those from Yungang, the Northern Wei Buddhas at Longmen are made with extremely delicate sculpting techniques, and their style also displays a graceful and elegant charm with a hint of sharpness. The dark expressions on the Buddha's faces, their imposing physiques, their neat clothing and skirts, and the heavenly beings that look like immortals flying on fast-moving clouds are all influenced by the style of the Southern Dynasties Buddhist statues.

The records of the creation of the statues and supplications attached to the stone Buddha statues are also diverse, and the "Dragon Gate Twenty Pieces" conveys the powerful calligraphy style of the Northern Wei Dynasty, making them a valuable resource for the history of Chinese calligraphy.

[Rei Yoshimura]

"Studies on the Longmen Grottoes, by Mizuno Seiichi and Nagahiro Toshio, 3 volumes (1979, Dohosha Publishing)" "Kuno Ken and Sugiyama Jiro, Longmen and Gongxian Grottoes, by Kuno Ken and Sugiyama Jiro, 1982, Rokuko Publishing" " Chinese Caves: Longmen Grottoes, edited by the Longmen Cultural Relics Repository and the Peking University Department of Archaeology, 2 volumes (1987, 1988, Heibonsha)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

雲崗(うんこう)石窟と双璧(そうへき)をなす中国の代表的な石窟寺院で、洛陽(らくよう)市の南約14キロメートルにある。2000年に世界遺産の文化遺産として登録されている（世界文化遺産）。石窟のある伊闕山(いけつざん)は伊河の流れを挟んで、西山と東山とに分かれ、石灰岩の岩壁に大小多数の洞窟をうがち、内部にはそれぞれおびただしい数に上る仏像が刻まれている。ちなみにその数は、洞窟1352、龕(がん)750、石塔39、仏像9万7306体と記録（竜門保管所）されている。石窟は北魏(ほくぎ)に始まり、隋(ずい)唐と続き、五代、宋(そう)にわたっているが、その主要な部分は5世紀末から7世紀後半に至る仏教美術の隆盛期に造営された。北魏窟のある西山の石窟群は古陽洞(こようどう)をはじめ、賓陽洞(ひんようどう)、蓮華洞(れんげどう)などが有名で、北魏仏像の優秀な作例が多い。また西山の中央にある奉先寺洞(ほうせんじどう)の大盧舎那仏(るしゃなぶつ)は高さ17メートル余の巨大な石仏で、脇侍(きょうじ)の菩薩(ぼさつ)像、羅漢(らかん)像、神王(しんのう)像、仁王(におう)像などとともに唐代彫刻の最高峰を極めた秀作で、その造像技術の冴(さ)えと品格の高さは特筆すべきである。唐の高宗、則天武后の造建になるもので、675年に完成をみた。また東山の看経寺洞(かんぎょうじどう)などはいずれも唐代の造営。東山の北には白楽天の墓がある。竜門の北魏仏は、雲崗のそれと比べて、造像技法もすこぶる繊細で、作風にも鋭さを内に秘めた優麗典雅な趣(おもむき)が表れている。仏像のもつ幽暗な表情、堂々たる体躯(たいく)、整斉な着衣と裳懸座(もかけざ)、勢いよく流れる雲に乗って飛ぶ神仙のような天人など、いずれも南朝仏像の作風の影響を受けている。

　石仏に添えられている造像記や願文も多彩で、北魏の雄勁(ゆうけい)な書風を伝えるものとして『竜門二十品』があり、中国書道史の貴重な資料となっている。

［吉村　怜］

『水野清一・長広敏雄著『龍門石窟の研究』全3巻（1979・同朋舎出版）』▽『久野健・杉山二郎著『龍門・鞏県石窟』（1982・六興出版）』▽『龍門文物保管所・北京大学考古系編『中国石窟　龍門石窟』全2巻（1987、1988・平凡社）』

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