Symbolism and iconography of the lotus in the sacred art of China

Abstract

The article deals with the works of sacred art of China (sculpture and paintings) belonging to the dynastic periods: Northern Wei (386–534), Western Wei (535–557), Sui (581–618), Tang (618–907), and Yuan (1271–1368) dynasties, which include the image of a lotus flower. In the context of Buddhist symbolism, the article analyses the image of the lotus in the sculptural reliefs of the Lotus Flower Cave in the Longmen Grottoes and the frescoes in the Mogao cave temples. Particular attention is paid to the iconography and Buddhist connotations of the lotus as a component of the image of the Pure Land, a metaphysical space with which the concept of a lotus paradise in the western sky is associated according to the Mahayana tradition and the teachings of Amitabha Buddha. The purpose of the article is to study the peculiarities of the symbolism and iconography of the lotus flower in the sacred art of China on the examples of religious sculpture and paintings depicting the Buddha and ritual scenes of offering gifts to the deity. The aim and objectives of the study determined the use of comparative studies, hermeneutics, iconographic and iconological analysis, and comparative analysis as the main research methods. The scientific novelty of this study lies in the comprehensive study of the symbolism and iconography of the lotus in Chinese sacred art in the context of the peculiarities of its ritual aspect and religious and philosophical content. The following conclusions were drawn because of the study. It has been established that the lotus in Chinese sacred art has a complex multi-layered symbolism associated with its unique natural abilities: the flower grows in muddy swamp waters, but emerges to the surface, remaining clean, untainted by mud. It has been found that these natural qualities of the lotus are used in sacred Chinese art as a metaphor for the highest transcendence of the spirit; the lotus flower is a symbol of eternal continuous time, in which the temporal boundaries of the past, present and future are not defined.