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A Message from the Editor
Yin Jinan
Professor, Department of Art History
China Central Institute of Fine Arts
China's ancient civilization and art require the constant rediscovery
and reflection of the current age. The work of contemporary archaeologists
and art historians should bring about more extensive exchange. Through
the Internet -- the most succinct and most rapid way to transmit academic
scholarship - we may realize the possibilities of increased scholarly
communication. Although providing recent reports from the field is the
original intent of this undertaking, it is also the substance upon which
to construct an active space for reflection.
In this issue, we take advantage of the current Chinese History Museum
exhibition of Buddhist images from the Longxing Temple in Qingzhou,
Shandong, to look back on the state of the field of Chinese Buddhist
art over the last few years, in addition to discussing issues relevant
to the Qingzhou Buddhist statuary. Accordingly, essays have been
solicited from Zhang Zong (Institute of Religious Studies, Chinese
Academy of Social Sciences) and Lang Tianyong (Department of Art
History, China Central Institute of Fine Arts). Reports and discussions
relating to the Buddhist art at Qingzhou appear in Wenwu 1998.2, including "Clearing-up
of a Storage Pit of Buddhist Icons in the Longxing Temple at Qingzhou,
Shandong," compiled by the Qingzhou Museum, and "Thoughts
Regarding Qingzhou Archaeology of the Northern and Southern Dynasties
Period," by Yang Hong (Archaeology Institute, Chinese Academy of
Social Sciences). Before long, Professor Su Bai (Archaeology Department,
Beijing University) will publish an article in Wenwu entitled,
"A Few Questions About the Buddhist Statues from the Pit at the
Longxing Temple in Qingzhou."
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