The Origin of the Flying Apsaras of Dunhuang
Dunhuang Feitian originated from two Buddhist gods in Indian mythology, the God of Heavenly Song (also known as the God of Fragrance) and the God of Dance and Dance, whose function was to spread fragrance; the God of Heavenly Music, Jinnaro (also known as the God of Entertainment in Indian Sanskrit), whose function was to play music and dance. The Dunhuang Flying Apsaras were the "Flying Apsaras of China Culture and Art" that had long-term exchanges and integration with the Indian Buddhist Heaven and Man, the China Taoist Feather Man, the Western Region Flying Apsaras and the Central Plains Flying Apsaras. From the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, there were images of Flying Apsaras in the murals of Buddhist caves in our country. In the early days, many Flying Apsaras were male, but later they became beautiful women. "Legend of the Flying Apsaras" is equally exciting. Everyone is welcome to click and read it!
The Origin of Flying Apsaras in Dunhuang
Dunhuang Flying Apsaras were the name cards of the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang. Their origins were closely related to the spread of Buddhist culture. From the perspective of the origin of art, the image of Flying Apsaras gradually developed in Dunhuang area with the introduction of Buddhism into China. In the art of Buddhism, the Flying Apsaras symbolized the gods who served the Buddha and Sakra. They danced in the sky and appeared in the form of music and dance, scattering flowers, and so on. On the basis of absorbing and integrating foreign Buddhist culture and art, the artists in Dunhuang region combined with local aesthetic concepts and painting techniques to recreate the image of Feitian. In the Dunhuang murals, the images of Feitian were rich and colorful, with beautiful postures, smooth lines and gorgeous colors, which became a unique and charming artistic image in Dunhuang art, reflecting the religious beliefs, cultural exchanges and artistic creation level at that time. "Legend of the Flying Apsaras" is equally exciting. Everyone is welcome to click and read it!
What is the origin and origin of Dunhuang Flying Apsaras?
The Dunhuang Flying Apsaras originated from the long-term exchange and integration of Indian Buddhist Heaven and Man, China Taoist Feather Man, Western Region Flying Apsaras and Central Plains Flying Apsaras. From its origin, the prototype of the Flying Apsaras was the Indian mythological Gantalva (translated as the God of Music, also known as the God of Fragrance) and Jinnaro (translated as the God of Song). The two were originally the God of Entertainment and the God of Song and Dance in Brahmanism. Their functions were to "scatter flowers and spread incense" and "play music and dance" respectively. Later, they were absorbed by Buddhism and became two of the eight guardians. With the spread of Buddhism to the east, Buddhism was introduced to the Central Plains during the Ming Emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty, and the Flying Heavens culture followed. In the Sixteen Kingdoms and the early Northern and Southern Dynasties, most of the Flying Apsaras were male. In the later period of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, there began to be female appearances that were neither male nor female. After it was introduced to China, Flying Apsaras interacted with the local Taoist Flying Immortal culture in China. After more than a thousand years of development and evolution, it formed the "Flying Apsaras with Chinese characteristics", which became an important part of Dunhuang mural art and also the art symbol of Dunhuang. "Legend of the Flying Apsaras" is equally exciting. Everyone is welcome to click and read it!
The origin and legend of the Dunhuang Flying Apsaras
Dunhuang Flying Apsaras were an important representative image of Dunhuang culture and art. Its origin was closely related to Buddhist culture. After Buddhism was introduced into China, the image of Flying Apsaras followed and continued to evolve and develop in the soil of Chinese culture. In the legends, the Flying Apsaras were regarded as the heavenly beings of the Buddhist Kingdom. They danced freely in the sky, expressing the joy and peace of the Buddhist Kingdom with their beautiful postures and elegant figures. They either held musical instruments to play beautiful fairy music, or held flowers and other things, symbolizing beauty, good luck, and praise to Buddha. The appearance of the Flying Apsaras in Dunhuang murals and other art forms not only reflected the belief and respect of the ancient people for Buddhism, but also reflected the imagination and yearning of the people at that time for the ideal realm. It integrated the artistic elements of China and the West and became a unique artistic treasure. "Legend of the Flying Apsaras" is equally exciting. Everyone is welcome to click and read it!
What is the origin of Dunhuang Flying Apsaras?
The Dunhuang Flying Apsaras originated from two Buddhist gods in Indian mythology. The "God of Heavenly Songs", Gantalva (Indian Sanskrit transliteration, Indian mythology called "God of Song and Dance"), had the function of "scattering flowers and spreading fragrance". The "God of Heavenly Music", Jinnaro (Indian Sanskrit transliteration, Indian mythology called "God of Entertainment"), had the function of "playing music and dancing." It was a long-term exchange and integration of the Indian Buddhist Heaven and Man, the China Taoist Feather Man, the Western Region Flying Apsaras, and the Central Plains Flying Apsaras. From the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, there had been images of Flying Apsaras in the murals of Buddhist caves in our country. In the early days, many of them were men, but later they became beautiful women. In Buddhism, the Flying Apsaras were generally referred to as Gantalva and Jinnara of the Eight Protectors. These two gods combined into one and became the Dunhuang Flying Apsaras of later generations, becoming the God of Heaven and Earth in Buddhism. The Dunhuang Flying Apsaras were introduced to China from India. After more than a thousand years of development, they formed a Chinese style. "Legend of the Flying Apsaras" is equally exciting. Everyone is welcome to click and read it!
The Origin and History of the Flying Apsaras of Dunhuang
The origin of the Dunhuang Flying Apsaras could be traced back to the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties (about the 3rd to 6th century AD) when Buddhism was first introduced into China. With the spread of Buddhist culture, the belief in gods in India and the mythical concept of China merged together, forming a unique image of the art of flying in Dunhuang. Its origin was closely related to Indian mythology. Among the Indian Brahmin gods, there were two kinds of service gods, Gandharva (Moon God, also known as the God of Music) and Jinnaro (Martial God, also known as the God of Song), who specialized in playing music and dancing for the gods such as Sakra. Later, Buddhism rose, and the Brahmin gods were converted into Buddhist guardians (the Eight Dragons). Gandharva and Jinnara were among them, still playing music and dancing. In the Sixteen Kingdoms and the early Northern and Southern Dynasties, most of the Flying Apsaras were male. In the later period of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, there were female appearances that were neither male nor female. From the Sixteen Kingdoms to the Northern Wei Dynasty, the image of the Flying Apsaras was deeply influenced by the Flying Apsaras of India and the Western Regions. With the development of Buddhism in China, the art of Buddhism and Taoism combined. The historical development of Dunhuang Flying Apsaras went through many periods: - Early (Northern Liang, Northern Wei, Western Wei period): To imitate the sprouting period, the Northern Liang Flying Apsaras had the characteristics of being thick, heavy, thick, and simple. - Middle period (Northern Zhou, Sui period): In the creative transformation period, the Sui Dynasty Flying Apsaras created vivid creations, with the most changes and different styles. They are exploring new styles. - "Peak period (early Tang, middle and late Tang, Five Dynasties period): It is the fixed period and the peak period. The basic image of the Flying Apsaras is a Bodhisattva costume and a female figure. During the prosperous period, it is influenced by court dance and beautiful women painting. - Late period (Song, Xixia, Yuan period): In the stylized stage, the murals of the Song Dynasty were basically the same as those of the late Tang Dynasty, lacking innovation and momentum. Flying images were mainly based on murals, the most typical of which was the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang. They were also distributed in the Grottoes of Maijishan, Bingling Temple, Yulin, Longmen, Yungang, and Kizil Grottoes in Xinjiang. The image of the Flying Apsaras had been spread to China by Buddhism from the Western Regions in the second year of Yongping of Emperor Ming of the Eastern Han Dynasty (59 AD). It had gone through the Northern Wei, Western Wei, Northern Zhou, Sui, Tang, Five Dynasties, Song, Yuan and other dynasties, spanning more than 1,000 years of history, forming an independent art form. "Legend of the Flying Apsaras" is equally exciting. Everyone is welcome to click and read it!
The Origin and History of the Flying Apsaras in Dunhuang
The origin of Dunhuang Flying Apsaras was related to the blending of many cultures. Its origin could be traced back to the Indian mythology of the God of Heavenly Songs, Gantalva (whose function was to spread flowers and fragrance) and the God of Heavenly Music, Jinnaro (whose function was to play music and dance). From the perspective of historical development, the image of Flying Apsaras began to appear after Buddhism was introduced into China through the Western Regions in the second year of Yongping of Emperor Ming of the Eastern Han Dynasty (59 AD). During the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, there were images of flying immortals in the murals of Buddhist caves in China. In the early days, there were male and female bodies. At that time, the flying immortals in the murals were also called flying immortals. The concept of flying immortals and flying immortals was not distinguished. During the period from the Northern Liang of the Sixteen Kingdoms to the Northern Wei Dynasty, the Dunhuang Flying Apsaras gradually rose and took shape. The image of the Flying Apsaras in this period was deeply influenced by the Indian and Western Region Flying Apsaras, and was generally the Western Region Flying Apsaras. In the 80 years from the Western Wei Dynasty to the Sui Dynasty, the Dunhuang Flying Apsaras ushered in a period of innovation. They used the combination of Chinese and Western methods, and there were significant changes in their styles. The Flying Apsaras of the Sui Dynasty had the most changes and had different styles. The Tang Dynasty was the heyday of the development of Dunhuang Flying Apsaras. After a long period of cultural blending, exploration and accumulation, the art of flying apsaras tended to mature. In the early Tang Dynasty, the art form fully reflected the ever-changing beauty of flying, and the content realized the harmony and unity of heaven and earth. 118 - 970 A.D. Throughout the Tang Dynasty, the development of Dunhuang Feitian was relatively mature and integrated with the local characteristics of the Western Regions. Its popularity increased and its artistic image was close to perfection. From the Five Dynasties Period to the Yuan Dynasty (907 - 1368 AD), the Dunhuang Flying Apsaras gradually declined and became more and more formalized. The theme of the Song Dynasty murals was basically the same as that of the late Tang Dynasty, lacking innovation and momentum. After ten dynasties of exchange and change, the artistic image of Dunhuang Feitian has its own characteristics. Flying images were mainly based on murals, the most typical of which was the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang. In addition, they were also distributed in the grottoes of Maijishan, Bingling Temple, Yulin, Longmen, Yungang, and Kizil in Xinjiang. There were many forms of expression, with painting being the most important form. It was spread throughout the grottoes and monasteries in various regions. There were also stone sculptures, clay sculptures, wood sculptures, and other forms. Dunhuang Flying Apsaras were the "Flying Apsaras of China Culture and Art" that had long-term exchanges and integration with Indian Buddhist Heaven and Man, China Taoist Feather Man, Western Region Flying Apsaras and Central Plains Flying Apsaras. They were the crystallization of multiculturalism. "Legend of the Flying Apsaras" is equally exciting. Everyone is welcome to click and read it!
The Origin of Flying Apsaras in the Mogao Grottoes of Dunhuang
Flying Apsaras were images in Buddhism. Buddhists called the gods flying in the sky flying apsaras, and they were often painted in Buddhist cave murals. Flying Apsaras were the incarnations of Kandarva and Jinnara in Buddhism. Kandarva translated as the God of Heavenly Songs, and Jinnara translated as the God of Heavenly Music. They were originally the God of Entertainment and the God of Song and Dance in ancient Indian mythology. They were a couple and were later absorbed by Buddhism as one of the eight gods of the Heavenly Dragon. Gantalva's task was to spread fragrance in the Buddhist Kingdom, offer flowers and treasures to the Buddha, live in the flowers, and fly in the Heavenly Palace. Jinnara's task was to play music and dance in the Buddhist Kingdom, but he could not fly in the sky. Later on, the two were mixed together. There was no distinction between male and female, and their functions were not separated. They were combined into one. Since the second year of Yongping of Emperor Ming of the Eastern Han Dynasty (59 AD), Buddhism was spread to China through the Western Regions, and the image of the Flying Apsaras was also introduced. Many murals of the Flying Apsaras were left in the Mogao Grottoes of Dunhuang. There are 492 grottoes in the Mogao Grottoes, which are divided into the Northern Dynasty, Sui, Tang, Five Dynasties, Song, Xixia and Yuan Dynasties. Almost every grotto has a Flying Apsaras, totaling more than 4500. Flying images in different periods of the grottoes showed different styles and characteristics, but they all had beautiful lines and mysterious atmosphere, which became the unique artistic charm of Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes. "Legend of the Flying Apsaras" is equally exciting. Everyone is welcome to click and read it!
The Origin and Origins of Dunhuang Flying Apsaras (50 words)
Dunhuang Flying Apsaras originated from Buddhism. It was the collective name of Gantalva and Jinnaro. It was introduced to China from the Eastern Han Dynasty through the Western Regions and formed a unique art form after integrating various cultures. "Legend of the Flying Apsaras" is equally exciting. Everyone is welcome to click and read it!
Dunhuang Flying Apsaras
I don't quite understand the exact meaning of the expression "Dunhuang Flying Apsaras in person". If you want to ask about the real person related to the photos of Dunhuang Flying Apsaras, Liu Yifei has a set of photos of Dunhuang Flying Apsaras that have become popular on the Internet. Her photos are inspired by the images of the flying apsaras in Dunhuang murals. Both her clothing and makeup are full of Dunhuang cultural elements. Her clothing is bright in color and exquisite in pattern. Her makeup draws lessons from the classic elements of Dunhuang murals, which has both classical and modern fashion sense. At the 2024 Lanzhou Marathon, a woman wearing Dunhuang Feitian clothes ran the entire race. "Legend of the Flying Apsaras" is equally exciting. Everyone is welcome to click and read it!
Dunhuang Flying Apsaras 2019
In 2019, there were many achievements related to Dunhuang Feitian. In the 2019 CCTV Spring Festival Gala, there was a dance called "Dunhuang·Flying Sky," led by Luna, Qiu Yunting and Wang Jiyu, performed by the Central Ballet Troupe and the Ballet Department of the Beijing Dance Academy. This dance was adapted from the original dance drama "Dunhuang" arranged by the Central Ballet Troupe. It combined thousands of years of silk road culture with the art of Ballet, condensing the experiences of the guards of Dunhuang into the story of the male and female protagonists in the play. By showing their protection and feelings for the Dunhuang murals, it reflected the brilliant artistic achievements of Dunhuang. It had both a sense of history and artistic freedom. However, because it was the first time that it boldly combined China Dunhuang culture with Western Ballet art, At that time, the evaluation was mixed. "Legend of the Flying Apsaras" is equally exciting. Everyone is welcome to click and read it!