History of China Sculpture

Cave temples are widely distributed, with early caves concentrated in Xinjiang, including Qizil Grottoes, Kumutu Grottoes, Morimori Grottoes, Tuyugou Grottoes and Baizixi Grottoes. After the Jin Dynasty, the grottoes built in Hexi Corridor and North China include Mogao Grottoes, Yulin Grottoes, Tietianshan Grottoes, Bingling Temple Grottoes, Maijishan Grottoes, Xumishan Grottoes, North and South Grottoes, Yungang Grottoes, Longmen Grottoes, Gongxian Grottoes, Xiangtangshan Grottoes, Tianlongshan Grottoes, Wanfo Hall Grottoes, Guangyuan Thousand Buddha Cliffs, Guangyuan Huangze Temple Stone Carvings, and Northern Shaanxi Grottoes. There is Qixia Mountain Grottoes in Nanjing in the south. After Sui and Tang Dynasties, the newly excavated grottoes include Binxian Giant Buddha Temple, Tuoshan Grottoes, Yunmen Mountain Grottoes, Six Thousand Buddha Cliffs, Xiajiang Thousand Buddha Cliffs, Anyue Grottoes and Jianchuan Grottoes excavated in Nanzhao, Yunnan. From the Five Dynasties to the Yuan Dynasty, stone carvings of Feilaifeng were unearthed in Hangzhou. Since modern times, the grotto sculpture remains have been seriously damaged and plundered by foreigners. China's sculptures have distinctive national characteristics in subject matter, content and sculpture techniques, and have absorbed and integrated many foreign artistic elements in the long-term development. Qin and Han Dynasties, Southern and Northern Dynasties, Sui and Tang Dynasties were the peak of its development. After the Five Dynasties, large-scale sculpture activities decreased day by day, while small and medium-sized sculptures made new progress. After the 20th century, influenced by European sculpture, some Western sculpture-style monument sculptures and a large number of easel sculptures appeared. After 1980s, urban environmental sculpture rose, and China sculpture entered a new development period. Due to the restriction of traditional ideas, there are not many sculptors in the history of fine arts in China, and there is also a lack of theoretical works on sculpture. The study of China's sculpture history and the summary of creative experience mainly began in modern times.