The period between 386 and 581 CE in
Chinese history is conventionally called the
Northern and Southern Dynasties, when North
China – under the control of the Tuoba clan of
the Xianbei tribe (a proto-Mongol people) –
was politically separated from, yet culturally
connected with, the Chinese dynasties
established in Jiankang (Nanjing). The
Northern Wei rulers were ardent supporters of
Buddhism, a foreign religion utilised as a
theocratic power for ideological and social
control of the predominantly Chinese
population. In the south, meanwhile,
Confucian intellectuals engaged themselves in
Neo-Daoist debates on metaphysical
subjects, and learned monks studied and
propagated Buddhist ideas that were in some
ways compatible with Daoist philosophy.
The Buddhist rock-cut caves at the site of
Yungang, constructed under the Northern Wei
imperial sponsorship near Datong in present-
day Shanxi Province, were decorated with
sculptural images made after Indian models.
The earlier archaic style began to change as a
result of increasing diplomatic contacts
between North and South China, particularly
after a series of reform policies implemented
by Emperor Xiaowen (r. 471-99). Marked by
the adoption of Chinese language, costume,
and political institutions, the Northern Wei
reform contributed greatly to an artistic and
cultural amalgamation in sixth-century China,
which was also manifested in painting,
calligraphy, the funerary and decorative arts,
and the style of the cave-temples at Longmen
in Henan Province.
This Northern Wei brick from a Buddhist
shrine testifies to the dynasty’s appropriation
of the Buddhist religion. Each rectangular
brick from the collection features a shallow
recess to the upper face that encloses either
a member of the Buddhist pantheon or a
humble attendant. It is easy to distinguish
between the two, as the former will be
surrounded by an aureole or nimbus, while the
latter will not. Heavy Indian influence is
apparent, as evinced by the rounded forms
that contribute to a general lessening of
severity. Also Indian in fashion is the
occasional dynamic posture that is
reminiscent of the deities and dancers of the
tantric sects found commonly in South Asia.
Chinese, and even Xianbei influence is seen,
however, in the long slender eyes that are
recurrent throughout the collection. Such a
fusion of continental styles was common in
the Northern Wei dynasty. Curious, however,
is the shape of each brick’s recess. Whether
standing or seated on a plinth, there is no
unified recess shape. Some are rectangular,
others hexagonal, and many resemble the
shape of a stupa (a dome-shaped structure
erected as a Buddhist shrine) perhaps to
match the brick’s greater entity.
While this brick would have originally served a
highly functional purpose, today it is
appreciated as a gorgeous work of art,
treasured both for its beauty and history alike.
