May.4, 2024
CEMS-MiM Office
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Seminars
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Another J.D. Bernal ? Remarks on historical and current relationships between Western technofuturism and studies on science and technology
【Time】Wednesday, May 8, 9:00-11:00
【Venue】Room B206, Mengminwei Humanities Building
【Speaker】Christopher Coenen, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
【Host】Department of the History of Science, Tsinghua University
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Chinese Commercial Space: Concept, Launchers Enterprises, Framework - A puzzle rather than a masterplan
【Time】Wednesday, May 8, 13:30-14:30
【Venue】Room B206, Mengminwei Humanities Building
【Speaker】Lucie Sénéchal-Perrouault
【Host】Department of the History of Science, Tsinghua University
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New Technology Sectoral Disruptions
【Time】Thursday, May 9, 14:00-15:30
【Venue】Room B331, Lihua Building
【Speaker】Gordon M. Phillips, Professor, Dartmouth College
【Host】Department of Finance, Tsinghua SEM
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Culture
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Yungang Grottoes
Yungang Grottoes (云冈石窟) are located in Datong City, Shanxi Province, China. The grottoes are carved along the mountain, stretching for about 1 km from east to west. There are 45 main caves and more than 51,000 stone statues. The highest one is 17 meters high and the smallest is only a few centimeters. Yungang Grottoes, one of the largest ancient Grottoes in China, were listed in the World Cultural Heritage list in 2001.
The early Grottoes construction (caves 16 to 20) was led by the famous monk Tanyao under the will of Emperor Wencheng of the Northern Wei Dynasty, known as "the Five Caves of Tanyao". The central parts of the five caves have carvings of huge Buddha statues, symbolizing the five emperors of the Northern Wei Dynasty. Square forehead, high nose, big earlobe and shoulders are reflections of the characteristics of early ethnic minorities, which are different from the traditional Indian Buddhist statues.
The mid-term grottoes date back to when carving was at its peak in the prosperous period of Northern Wei Dynasty. The colors and sculpture shapes are neat and gorgeous. The characteristics of this type of carving is quite different from those of early grottoes. There are obvious Chinese characteristics to the shape of caves and the content and style of carvings. The proportion of Buddha statues is moderate and the musicians and dancers manifest a patriotic fervour. At the same time, Chinese palace architecture was also turned into sculptures, which was widely used in the construction of grottoes and temples in later generations.
After the Northern Wei Dynasty moved its capital to Luoyang, the large-scale carving of the grottoes stopped, but the art form was taken up by the middle and lower classes. Although the scale was small, the Buddha statues were thin and beautiful, which was the origin of the "thin bones and clear images" of the Grottoes in northern China, reflecting the deepening of the "Sinicization" of Buddhist art.
Various styles of Buddhist statues at home and abroad have been unprecedentedly adopted in Yungang Grottoes. The magnificent and colorful statues in Yungang Grottoes can be regarded as the first stone carving art in China in the 5th century.
