Visualizing Transcendence: The Screen Walls from Dunhuang Tombs and the Celestial Representation in Early Medieval China
This article studies the unique funerary decorative and architectural programs of the Foyemiaowan tombs in Dunhuang, dating to the third and fourth centuries CE. While Dunhuang is known for its later Buddhist grottoes, its sophisticated pre-Buddhist religious landscape remains understudied. This art...
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| Published in: | Religions |
|---|---|
| Main Authors: | , |
| Format: | Articles |
| Published: |
2026
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | View article (DOI: 10.3390/rel17050531) |
| _version_ | 1877637432299487232 |
|---|---|
| author | Wu, Dongming Li, Xiaoyang |
| author_autocomplete | Wu, Dongming Li, Xiaoyang |
| author_browse | Li, Xiaoyang Wu, Dongming |
| author_facet | Wu, Dongming Li, Xiaoyang Wu, Dongming Li, Xiaoyang |
| author_sort | Wu, Dongming |
| container_issue | 5 |
| container_issue_str | 5 |
| container_title | Religions |
| container_title_str | Religions |
| container_volume | 17 |
| container_volume_str | 17 |
| description | This article studies the unique funerary decorative and architectural programs of the Foyemiaowan tombs in Dunhuang, dating to the third and fourth centuries CE. While Dunhuang is known for its later Buddhist grottoes, its sophisticated pre-Buddhist religious landscape remains understudied. This article focuses on the elaborate screen walls constructed of painted pictorial bricks, which represent the celestial realm designed to visualize the soul’s transcendence to heaven. Based on iconographic analysis, this study discusses the highlighted decorative design of screen wall at Foyemiaowan and explains the different artistic logics behind the lavish exterior decoration of Foyemiaowan vis-à-vis the interior-focused programs of neighboring sites like Xincheng in Jiayuguan. This study situates visual and material symbols in the distinct arrangement of the whole tomb space, which together reflect local adoption and innovation of Central Plain traditions in Early Medieval Dunhuang. |
| doi_str_mv | 10.3390/rel17050531 |
| first_indexed | 2026-09-29T04:00:29Z |
| format | Articles |
| genre | Articles |
| genre_facet | Articles |
| id | zotero-JNNMRKGA |
| institution | zotero_group |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| last_indexed | 2026-09-29T04:00:29Z |
| latest_content_date | 2026-09-29T04:00:29Z |
| physical | 531 |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| record_format | zotero |
| spelling | Visualizing Transcendence: The Screen Walls from Dunhuang Tombs and the Celestial Representation in Early Medieval China This article studies the unique funerary decorative and architectural programs of the Foyemiaowan tombs in Dunhuang, dating to the third and fourth centuries CE. While Dunhuang is known for its later Buddhist grottoes, its sophisticated pre-Buddhist religious landscape remains understudied. This article focuses on the elaborate screen walls constructed of painted pictorial bricks, which represent the celestial realm designed to visualize the soul’s transcendence to heaven. Based on iconographic analysis, this study discusses the highlighted decorative design of screen wall at Foyemiaowan and explains the different artistic logics behind the lavish exterior decoration of Foyemiaowan vis-à-vis the interior-focused programs of neighboring sites like Xincheng in Jiayuguan. This study situates visual and material symbols in the distinct arrangement of the whole tomb space, which together reflect local adoption and innovation of Central Plain traditions in Early Medieval Dunhuang. Religions Articles 2026 Dunhuang Early Medieval China Foyemiaowan tombs celestial representation pictorial bricks screen walls Wu, Dongming Li, Xiaoyang |
| spellingShingle | Visualizing Transcendence: The Screen Walls from Dunhuang Tombs and the Celestial Representation in Early Medieval China Wu, Dongming Li, Xiaoyang Dunhuang Early Medieval China Foyemiaowan tombs celestial representation pictorial bricks screen walls |
| title | Visualizing Transcendence: The Screen Walls from Dunhuang Tombs and the Celestial Representation in Early Medieval China |
| title_autocomplete | Visualizing Transcendence: The Screen Walls from Dunhuang Tombs and the Celestial Representation in Early Medieval China |
| title_full | Visualizing Transcendence: The Screen Walls from Dunhuang Tombs and the Celestial Representation in Early Medieval China |
| title_fullStr | Visualizing Transcendence: The Screen Walls from Dunhuang Tombs and the Celestial Representation in Early Medieval China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Visualizing Transcendence: The Screen Walls from Dunhuang Tombs and the Celestial Representation in Early Medieval China |
| title_short | Visualizing Transcendence: The Screen Walls from Dunhuang Tombs and the Celestial Representation in Early Medieval China |
| title_sort | visualizing transcendence: the screen walls from dunhuang tombs and the celestial representation in early medieval china |
| topic | Dunhuang Early Medieval China Foyemiaowan tombs celestial representation pictorial bricks screen walls |
| topic_autocomplete | Dunhuang Early Medieval China Foyemiaowan tombs celestial representation pictorial bricks screen walls |
| topic_facet | Dunhuang Early Medieval China Foyemiaowan tombs celestial representation pictorial bricks screen walls |