The bouncing pipa is the most beautiful dance in Dunhuang art. It is strong and stretched, fast and harmonious. The bouncing pipa is actually playing music and dancing at the same time. It elegantly and charmingly concentrates the superb playing skills and exquisite dance skills on the shoulders of this dance position. It is difficult for us to know whether there really was Langji, who was good at singing, dancing and extraordinary talent, as a model, or whether it was the bizarre imagination and outstanding creation of the painters. No matter what, the rebound pipa is an eternal symbol of Tang culture.

Rebounding Pipa Picture

This picture is found in the "Jile Picture" in Cave 112 of Mogao Grottoes, which is part of the "Western Pure Land Transformation" in the cave. Suki Lotte danced gracefully to the celestial music, raised his feet and turned around, performing the stunt of "rebounding the pipa" in an instant. It expresses the leisurely, graceful and elegant appearance of Ji Letian, holding a pipa and flying half-naked. The train of the heavenly clothes is swaying like a dragon and a frightening phoenix, and the necklaces and armbands jingle in flight, which is very charming. Suddenly, with one move and one stop, she performed the stunt of "rebounding the pipa" by turning her hips. As a result, the whole heaven was amazed and time stopped passing by. The figures are plump and plump, the line descriptions are realistic, lively, smooth and flowing, and they are all in one go. The sky clothes are floating in the sky, and there is a charm of "Wu Dai and the wind", which embodies the national characteristics of Buddhist painting in the Tang Dynasty. The main colors used are stone green, ocher yellow and lead white, making the whole picture more elegant, charming and pleasing to the eye. The achievements of this "Rebound Pipa" are eye-catching, both from the perspective of reflecting life and from the perspective of painting techniques. It is a representative masterpiece among Dunhuang murals.

Word: rebound pipa. A dance shape from Dunhuang murals. It refers to thinking and behavior that breaks through the conventional; looking at problems from the opposite side and going against conventional things.

A rich and colorful world of pictures: The cave shows a rich and colorful world of pictures in front of us. Various Buddhist stories, mountains and rivers, towers and pavilions, flower patterns, and flying Buddha statues give these mysterious caves a Buddhist scene with "the walls are full of wind and the clouds are floating." Some caves allow us to see pictures of people hunting, weaving, building houses, etc., which are full of life. In history, the scenes of Zhang Qian's mission to the Western Regions, the endless stream of business travelers on the Silk Road, and the mighty procession of Zhang Yichao, the Tang Hexi Jiedushi envoy, also appeared in those colorful murals.

The crystallization of Eastern and Western art

If all the murals in Mogao Grottoes were connected, they would be 50 miles long. In such a gallery of Changhe, from the Sixteen Kingdoms through the Sui and Tang Dynasties to the Song and Yuan Dynasties, different styles and different schools have formed a rich and colorful style with their own characteristics. In terms of art, these murals not only reflect China's national style, but also draw on the strengths of ancient art from India, Greece, Iran and other countries. They can be called the crystallization of Eastern and Western art. Many artists came to Guohuang and were attracted by this art treasure house. They would rather give up the superior living conditions in the city and live in this remote desert town, copying murals, learning from ancient artists, and living a hard life. Life can last for several years, or even most of a lifetime.

The most beautiful image: Flying Sky and Rebounding Pipa

Among these murals, "Flying Sky" is recognized as the most beautiful image. This flying "flying sky" has long appeared in various picture albums, and has even been used as a trademark for many products. Its beautiful image has been familiar to the general public, and there is also the image of Ji Letian who bounces off the pipa. The performance of the large-scale dance drama "Flowers on the Silk Road" is also loved by the masses. Someone specifically studied the shape and expression of the characters' hands in the murals. There has always been a saying in the art world that "it is difficult to draw hands when painting people", and the movements of the hands in Dunhuang murals are ever-changing, reflecting the emotions of the characters. In terms of hand modeling and expression depiction, it can be said to have reached the pinnacle. The movement of Lotte's hand is an excellent example. The colorful sculptures in the Mogao Grottoes and the accuracy of the body muscles and bones make you believe that ancient artists were very familiar with human anatomy, and their artistic attainments are so high that it is amazing. The paintings and sculptures in each cave are integrated and coordinated in layout and color.