Cultural Connections Between China and Foreign Civilizations Through the Kucha Donor Images in the Kizil Caves

Abstract

Kucha was a small country once existed in the western border of China. Its famous Kizil Caves represents the importance of Buddhism to this country. This research focuses on the Kucha donor images found in some of the Kizil Caves, mainly two group of donors from cave No. 199 and No. 205. The dates, traits of clothing and “tipping toe” standing posture, and identity of these donors are argued and discussed, and they are compared to Sogdian, Bactrian, Persian, and Roman artworks that share similar clothing style or standing posture. Historical evidence is then presented throughout the paper to prove that the similar clothing style and standing posture between Kucha donors and foreign figures reflect cultural connections across the Eurasian continent, on the Silk Road. The paper also explains how the “tipping toe” standing posture is a shared artistic motif but is interpreted and used differently across cultures, thus leading to the author attempting to answer the question: why these Kucha donors were drawn in the Kizil Buddhist Caves. The research mainly uses articles and books written by professional scholars, with the support of some primary texts as historical evidence. Additional archaeological discoveries and art history visual analysis are applied to aid the conclusion of this paper.