"Moi" is the top decoration of traditional wooden buildings in China, which has appeared many times in ancient Chinese palaces, temples and other buildings, and has a relatively important position.
Zhang Heng's "Xijing Fu" explains "moi": "Moi is in the middle of the building, the wood is like a well, and the painting is algae", "well" plus algae ornaments, taking the meaning of "algae ornament in the well", so it is called "algae well".
The Forbidden City Wanchun Pavilion wooden algae well
Dunhuang algae well pattern has a long history and a large number, which is the essence of the Dunhuang grotto pattern and has high research value. The beautiful Dunhuang Moi pattern has a wide variety of patterns, exquisite paintings, and colorful colors, just like a poetry book in the art world that condenses the essence of art, containing exuberant vitality.
Mogao Caves Cave 285 Western Wei
In ancient Chinese architecture, it is basically a wooden structure, and the disadvantages of wooden structure buildings are obvious - they are afraid of fire, so the need for fire prevention has become a consideration for building houses.
The Book of The Chronicle of Heavenly Officials notes: "The Eight Stars of Dongjing are the main water balances." The ancients believed that the "well" was the main water, and in the "five elements", the water and fire were opposed, and the temple was high, which could be used as a decoration and a symbolism for avoiding fire and evil. At the same time, "algae, aquatic things also", "algae" originally means aquatic grass in the water, but also has the meaning of fire extinguishing. It can be seen that the intention of hoping to prevent fire in the word "algae well" is very obvious.
Mogao Caves Cave 172 Sheng Tang
Dunhuang Moi inherits the inland moi culture, simplifies the wooden moi, and develops its own unique moi style. The Dunhuang algae well tightens above and spreads below, like a reverse funnel, with the central square well drawing the motif, and other motifs unfolding on the surrounding slopes. As soon as you look up, the visual feeling of the center outward makes the grotto have a feeling of height and depth.
The Dunhuang Zaojing Map is a very special pattern, which is different from the Zaojing, which was influenced by the Han culture of the Central Plains, and more influenced by the countries along the Silk Road and the Buddhist culture, with different meanings. Widely popular in the Dunhuang motif is the water lotus flower, which is very sacred and can read people's minds, and the lotus flower symbolizes purity and is the medium for people to live forever in Buddhism.
After death, people will become children in the lotus, and after the purification of the lotus, the mind becomes clean, they will jump into the water to bathe and play, and then enter the Pure Land of the West. So people formed the idea that the dead in the house were settled with moai and their souls went to the Pure Land World.
Mogao Caves Cave 322 Early Tang Dynasty
Mogao Caves Cave 390 Sui Dynasty
All in all, the combination of water and lotus is the Pure Land, the resting place of the dead. The appearance of the algae well is in line with the psychological needs of the Dunhuang people, and the dead relatives and friends have a place to live, which is the meaning of the Dunhuang algae well.
With the development of the times, the fireproof function was diluted, and the soil and rocks in the grotto did not need to avoid fire, and the decorative pattern of "algae decoration", the motif of the algae well, was increasingly valued by craftsmen. Dunhuang Algae Well Pattern, under the artist's meticulous painting, has developed to more than 400 items, full of gorgeous decorative features, and color sculptures and murals have become one.
Because the algae well is mainly located at the top of the grotto, it is less damaged by the natural environment and man-made, so it is relatively well preserved, and can be roughly divided into 5 categories according to its central pattern, which are square wells, pan stem lotus algae wells, flying lotus algae wells, double dragon lotus algae wells, and large lotus algae wells.
1. Square well set stacked algae well
The square well sleeve stacked algae well is the structure of the square well sleeve stacking frame, the center pattern and edge decoration in the well are rich, the brush strokes are rough and free, and the color contrast is strong.
Lotus Double Goose Pingqi Mogao Caves Cave 435 Northern Wei "Dunhuang Dynasty Fine Algae Well 100 Map" information
This well is a triple set of buckets, the lotus flowers in the well are in full bloom, the two geese swim, and the outside is stacked with honeysuckle patterns and flame patterns, the four outer forks are four flying heavens, and the outermost four edges are honeysuckle patterns and regular geometric stripes. Plant patterns, animal patterns, character patterns, geometric patterns, pattern types are plump.
2. Disc-stemmed lotus algae well
In the center of the well is a large eight-petal lotus flower, surrounded by a deformed stem honeysuckle pattern. Outside the well, there are three trims of circular beads, honeysuckle patterns, and white beads.
Tuanhua Algae Well Mogao Caves Cave 334 Caves Early Tang Dynasty "Dunhuang Dynasty Fine Algae Well 100 Map" information
A large cluster of flowers in the center, from the inside to the outside of the level, the outer polygonal ornaments, the circular bead pattern, the honeysuckle pattern, and the continuous decoration composed of half-clusters of flowers, in the composition of the algae well, the elements are often reused, and the outer edge of the algae well is taken from the center of the well, creating a symmetrical and unified effect.
3. Flying Lotus Algae Well
The well is wide in the heart, and there are several flying skies around the large lotus flower.
Lotus Flying HeavenLy Algae Well Mogao Caves Cave 329 Early Tang Dynasty
The center of the well is made of light blue, symbolizing the sky, but also can symbolize the pool, the center of the pool is painted with a lotus flower, the lotus flower is surrounded by four flowers flying in the sky, the scarf flutters, swimming against the time, the white lines around it, like the wind blowing, and like the water is flowing.
4. Double Dragon Lotus Algae Well
The main feature is that the two dragons play beads on both sides of the lotus flower in the heart of the well are painted.
Lotus Double Dragon Algae Well Mogao Cave 392 Cave Sui "Dunhuang Dynasty Fine Algae Well 100 Map" information
In the pond where the lotus flowers are in full bloom, two dragons leap out of the air, and the periphery is lined with beads, shells, hanging horns and draped mantles.
5. Large lotus algae well
Only one large lotus flower is painted in the well, or the four corners are even matched with a corner flower, and the outer edges of the well are more layered, concise and fresh.
Lotus Algae Well Mogao Cave 388 Cave Sui "Dunhuang Dynasty Fine Algae Well 100 Map" information
In the center of the algae well is a simple and bright group of flowers, giving the viewer a regular visual feeling, the extension area is large, the vertical angle pattern and the drapery are two in one, and the corner decoration makes the picture look intricate, but the whole pattern color and pattern image volume structure are symmetrical and very neat.
Early days: The selection of natural objects
The theme of the early algae well was mainly plants, which were also materials that were easily obtained in life, such as Dunhuang's characteristic fruit grapes.
Dunhuang has a long history of growing grapes, and since Han ZhangQian's mission to the Western Regions, grapes have been introduced to Dunhuang from West Asia. Coupled with the abundant sunshine in Dunhuang, sandy soil, snow water irrigation, very suitable for the growth of grapes.
Mogao Caves Cave 323 Zhang Qian went on an expedition to the Western Regions
Historical diplomacy and the choice of natural geographical environment have created Dunhuang's natural customs - grapes. But grapes can be incorporated into the art system of Dunhuang Zaojing because of their beauty and auspiciousness in appearance and meaning.
Grapes are crystal clear, high nutritional value, fruit accumulation, visual beauty, and symbolize the meaning of harvest, so it was selected as the theme of the algae well, which is a very representative plant theme in the Dunhuang algae well pattern.
In the Dunhuang murals, the grape pattern is often used as an auxiliary decorative pattern, which plays the role of skeleton, for example, in the Dunhuang Early Tang Caves, there are tangled grape patterns.
Mogao Caves Cave 322 Tangled vine pattern trim Source: Dunhuang Research Institute
In addition to being used as an edge ornament, the grape pattern is used as the main ornament in the algae well. The painter made the grapes highly artistic, with four diagonal pomegranates and eight bunches of grapes, all specialties of the Western Regions, and twelve leaves strung together on a closed vine. The outer border is a continuous trim of small clusters of flowers and a full and two-sectioned cross flower.
Mogao Caves Cave 209 Grape Pomegranate Pattern Algae Well Source: Dunhuang Research Institute
Later period: The emergence of Buddhist relics
As mentioned earlier, there are a large number of lotus motifs in Dunhuang Algae Well, although the lotus flower is a real plant in nature, but the lotus in the Dunhuang Algae Well does not come from the surrounding natural environment, but is influenced by Buddhism.
"Decorative Patterns of Dunhuang Dynasty in China"
During the Southern and Northern Dynasties of the Wei and Jin Dynasties, Buddhism was imported and its influence continued to expand. The lotus flower, as a symbol of Buddhist art, was naturally chosen by artists, and in the process of development, Dunhuang Zaojing's worship of the lotus flower pattern reached a certain height.
Other Buddhist relics, such as the Celestial Daughter, the Bodhisattva, and the Cloud Pattern, also appear in the Moi motif.
Looking at the rich types of Dunhuang algae well patterns, showing a colorful trend, but a closer look can be found that there are not many types of colors used in Dunhuang algae wells, and the commonly used colors are stone blue, green, earth red, ochre, cinnabar, red, yellow, white powder, etc., which are relatively stable. The color matching method changes, making Dunhuang Algae Well give people a dazzling feeling. The color matching method of Dunhuang Zaojing has certain rules.
Complementary color contrast
In the color configuration of the Dunhuang algae pattern, complementary color contrast is often used. For example, in this painting of Tuanlong Lotus Algae Well, the strong contrast between red and green is bright and intense, showing a passionate sense of color drama.
Tuanlong Lotus Algae Well Mogao Caves 146 Caves Five Generations "Dunhuang Dynasty Fine Algae Well 100 Map" information
Harmonize tones
Although strongly contrasting complementary colors are often used, the Dunhuang moi pattern does not create a sense of visual fatigue. By harmonizing the tones, the color difference is weakened, and it appears warm and harmonious. In the heart of the Nine Buddhas, the green on the edges of the decoration varies from the outside to the inside, creating a three-dimensional sense of rich picture.
Nine Buddhas Echo Algae Well Heart Yulin Cave 10 Cave Yuan "Dunhuang Dynasty Fine Algae Well 100 Map" information
Use a neutral color
In addition to its own coordination, neutral tones such as black, white, gray and gold are added, and the colors are more layered and harmonious. This three-rabbit flying algae well, with a vertical angle pattern trimming white, and the internal color convergence, forming a sense of gradient, highlighting the shape of a single pattern, showing a three-dimensional sense.
Three Rabbits Flying Heavenly Algae Well Mogao Caves 420 Caves "Dunhuang Dynasty Fine Algae Well 100 Map" information
Dunhuang Zaojing is a masterpiece of Dunhuang painting art, and its symbolic "Moi" culture, rich pattern types, theme choices reflecting local characteristics, and colorful appearances all present a unique artistic temperament.
Source: Daguan Rizhilu