The calligraphy of the cliff sutra engravings in the late Northern Dynasties (550-581 CE)

Li, Erjia (2025) The calligraphy of the cliff sutra engravings in the late Northern Dynasties (550-581 CE). PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

This dissertation explores the origin, functions, and stylistic development of cliff sutra carvings in the late Northern Dynasties (550–581 CE), explaining the progress of calligraphy art in the cultural, political, and religious contexts of the Northern Qi (550–577 CE) and Northern Zhou (557–581 CE). This study also analyses the spread of Buddhism from the Northern Wei dynasty to the Northern Qi dynasty, emphasizing the significance of sutra engravings in promoting Buddhism and shaping the spiritual environment. During the period of political division, constant conflict, and social unrest in the late Northern Dynasties, Buddhism provided spiritual comfort and ideological support for leaders and the general public, which was conducive to the creation of cliff-sutra engravings.

A major focus of this study is the analysis of the calligraphy styles found in Northern Dynasties cliff-sutra engravings, which combine elements from clerical script, seal script, and regular script. Through extensive analysis of these calligraphic features, this dissertation assesses how these engraved sutras served both as sacred texts and as expressions of calligraphic artistry. The dissertation further examines the effects of materiality in the preservation of calligraphy, focusing on rubbings as a medium that provided wider access to calligraphy while adding stylistic variants caused by material disparities. The findings indicate that although rubbings aided in the preservation of calligraphy, they also removed texts from their original geographic and environmental context, particularly for Buddhist sutra engravings. By comparing the perspectives of Song and Qing dynasty scholars on Northern Dynasties stone inscriptions, this research explores how historical and political contexts impacted calligraphic assessments. Therefore, this study will examine the calligraphy of engraved sutras from the Northern Dynasties, employing historical documentary research, comparative analysis of stroke characteristics, and theoretical studies of fundamental calligraphic scripts to categorize the styles of engraved sutra calligraphy.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Additional Information: Due to copyright issues, Vol. 2 of this thesis is not available for viewing.
• Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BQ Buddhism; C Auxiliary Sciences of History > CN Inscriptions. Epigraphy.; D History General and Old World > DS Asia
• Colleges/Schools: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Culture and Creative Arts
• Supervisor's Name: Torma, Dr. Minna Katriina, Woolley, Dr. Nathan and Cura, Ms. Nixi
• Date of Award: 2025
• Depositing User: Theses Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:2025-85186
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 13 Jun 2025 14:29
• Last Modified: 13 Jun 2025 14:33
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.85186
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/85186