The Enlightenment and Paradigm Investigation of Qiuci Murals
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https://doi.org/10.65166/vpcacg20关键词:
art education, Buddhist art, civilizing function, cultural heritage education, China, Qiuci murals, Silk Road cultural exchange摘要
The Qiuci murals, created in an important cultural center along the ancient Silk Road in present-day Xinjiang, embody Buddhist visual culture and sustained interaction among Eastern and Western artistic traditions. However, their educational functions and underlying artistic paradigm remain insufficiently examined as an integrated field of inquiry. This study analyzed the artistic characteristics, cultural meanings, civilizing functions, historical influences, and contemporary value of Qiuci murals. A multimethod research design combined a five-point Likert-scale survey involving 513 respondents with literature research, image analysis, cross-cultural comparison, and cultural interpretation. Survey findings indicated generally favorable and broadly consistent perceptions of the murals' cognitive, artistic, and social significance across age, sex, educational, and occupational groups. Historical and visual analyses demonstrated that the murals incorporated Indian, Persian, Central Asian, and Chinese influences while developing a distinct local paradigm expressed through color contrasts, diamond-grid compositions, figure modeling, narrative sequencing, and Buddhist iconography. Jataka, karmic, biographical, and Nirvana narratives functioned as visual instruments of religious instruction, moral formation, political legitimation, aesthetic education, and cultural memory. The study concludes that Qiuci murals should be understood not only as historical artworks but also as pedagogical and cultural heritage resources. Their continued relevance requires interdisciplinary scholarship, contextual interpretation, digital documentation, conservation, and integration into art and cultural education. The findings support the use of Qiuci mural heritage in intercultural learning and the transmission of Silk Road cultural history.
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