Before this brief starts I have to do an explanation about who is master monk Xuanzang. It will help you understand how important he did and meant for Chinese religion history.
As we know every religion has its own books, such as Bible. In China we called our Bible- The Buddhist scripture. However, back to Tang Dynasty( A.D 618- 907) in China, there were many different versions of the scriptures. That also made misunderstandings and harassment of Buddhism spreading. So monk Xuanzang decided to travel to the birthplace of Buddhism which is India, Pakistan and Afghanistan for finding the original scriptures.
Monk Xuanzang used 17 years to travel and brought back 657 scriptures. He also translated them then delivered to believers. (
As you can see, this is a mural in Yulin Grottoes, which was quite popular at Tang Dynasty. This image is a classic Chinese landscape style, used simple lines to depict the people, animals and nature. The way how they used lines make me thinking about linoprint. Monk Xuanzang putted his hands together and praying. The propitious cloud pattern around his head that means blessed.
The whole grottoes have a lot murals, however we don't know who exactly made them. The ancient artists more like workers and technicians. Their purpose were spreading religion and recording history.
Then we move to this Morden painting by Yu LinJun( 1962- ). (https://instagram.com/yueminjun001?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=)
This dramatic laughing is his symbol. Means to satirize morden society.
Back to this painting, as we all know traveling in the old days can be extremely difficult, and Xuanzang took 17 years to back to China. How he could be laughing like this? It's a sarcasm to the religion and to the believers. Maybe the artist though Monk Xuanzang was a totally fool.
I would like to give a short conclusion to say my opinion about art and religion.
Art in the ancient days is more functional and meaningful. It's helping people to understand religion and it leaves so many things for us to learn and be inspired. However, by the world keeps developing, we don't need painting or wall carving to deliver messages anymore, I actually think art now days is unless and meaningless. Then why art is still exist? And why I am still learning it? I guess that's a big topic which we all should think about it.
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