User:Zhou Wenxuan
Final Exam Paper
Born of Gautama Buddha
Introduction of the Painter
Wu Daozi, the author of Born of Gautama Buddha (《送子天王图》), was one of the most representative and far-reaching painters in the Tang Dynasty, and was called Sage of Painting by later generations. He was active during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, a period when the nation was powerful, the economy prosperous and society open. This provided an exceptionally relaxed and fertile environment for the development of art. He is especially good at character painting and Buddhist themes, emphasising the use of line modelling. The lines that he drew are strong, smooth and rhythmic. It is summarised as "The Sashes in Wu's Painting Flutter as if in the Wind" (吴道带风), which has an irreplaceable demonstration role for later generations of Chinese figure painting. [1] Wu Daozi's paintings are not limited to the solemnity of religion, but are good at capturing the demeanour and inner spirit of the characters, so that the image of the gods is both dignified and humane. Born of Gautama Buddha is a representative work that highly integrates superb techniques, the spirit of the times and religious themes.
Main Idea of the Painting
Born of Gautama Buddha is based on Buddhist stories, depicting the scene of the King escorting the Buddha's birth and welcoming the holy baby. The theme revolves around "Sending the Son" (送子). The painting consists of three parts, which contain the symbolic meaning of the birth of life, the arrival of light and the blessing on earth. From the religious level, this work is an embodiment of the generating transformation of Buddhism in China. The narrative style and order in the painting all have Chinese aesthetic and ethical structures, and the content shows the concept of Buddhism to protect sentient beings. At the same time, in terms of secular emotions, the work is connected with the folk concept of attaching importance to clan bloodline, reflecting the Chinese culture's emphasis on the continuation of life and family reproduction. The whole work is permeated with a sacred and warm emotion, conveying the awe and cherish of life. The atmosphere created by the painting makes the viewer feel a kind of peace and tranquility while appreciating art. [2]
Three Major Parts of the Painting
The first part of the painting depicts the image of the god of fertility (送子神) with its auspicious beast and the king with the servant goddesses, which is the most tense and dynamic part of the whole painting. In the picture, two heavenly soldiers are struggling to drag the auspicious beast that is about to run. The auspicious beast roars with its mouth open, full of a sense of power and instability. The king sat on it with his hands on his knees and a dignified and focused demeanour. His eyes were tightly fixed on the auspicious beast, as if he was completing a major decision. The servants of the king stood around, some were guarding with swords and the others were preparing to record with brushes and writing tables. They all looked serious and nervous. The servant goddesses behind the king is relatively quiet with a calm and respectful demeanour, grinding ink or holding artifacts. The calm gaze of the king contrasts sharply with the restlessness of the auspicious beast, making this part the climax of the mood of the picture, firmly attracting the viewer's attention. [3]
The second part of the painting depicts a god sitting on a stone. The overall atmosphere changed from tension to solemnity. The god sits on the rock, with a steady and majestic posture, symbolizing the strong power. Behind it, there are flames, within which emerge fantastical figures such as tigers, elephants, lions, dragons and bird-headed creatures. This forms a visually striking backdrop that symbolizes the divine power to subdue all evil and safeguard righteousness. On the left and right sides, there are goddesses holding vases, incense burners and other magic weapons, as well as the gods standing with brooms, making the picture orderly and full of religious rituals.
The third part is the birth image of Sakyamuni (释迦摩尼), which depicts the scene of the King Suddhodana (净饭王) holding the baby and moving forward steadily, with a peaceful and solemn mood. Mahaprajapati (摩诃波阇波提夫人) folded her hands and followed closely, with a respectful and pious posture. The waiter in the rear followed with a fan, making the picture more lively. On one side of the picture, Aparajita (无能胜明王) knelt down, lowered his eyebrows and bowed his head to welcome the arrival of Sakyamuni Buddha. The bending down worship of powerful gods contrasts with the supremacy of the baby's identity. This also symbolizes the importance of the Buddha's birth to the order of heaven and earth. This part ends the whole painting with a steady rhythm, making the whole work emotionally from tension to solemnity and stability.
Painting Skills
Born of Gautama Buddha shows Wu Daozi's superb and mature artistic style in terms of painting skills. The painting takes orchid-leaf brushstroke (兰叶描) as the core. [4] The brush is vigourous without losing fluency. Wu Daozi treated the folds and skirts of the characters elegantly and smoothly, and distinguished the image of the gods and goddesses with different thick and thin lines effectively. [5] He used calligraphy into painting, breaking the early tradition of fine-thread brushwork (游丝描) with uniform and thin lines, so that the lines not only assumed the function of modelling the image, but also contained spiritual strength. At the same time, he absorbed the expression of Buddhist murals in the Sui and Tang Dynasties. The characters were mostly painted in red, green, yellow and other warm colors. These colors are gorgeous and solemn. In terms of the overall shape, the costumes and demeanour of the gods, emperors and attendants in the painting have been completely localized to Chinese styles, embodying the realistic features in the heyday of the Tang Dynasty and revealing Wu Daozi’s innovative vision in rendering religious subjects with Chinese painting techniques. [6]
Influence of the Painting
Born of Gautama Buddha has had an important and profound influence on the history of Chinese art. It is not only the concentrated embodiment of Wu Daozi's personal artistic achievements, but also an important symbol of the development of figure painting and Buddhist painting in the Tang Dynasty. The mature and tense line drawing method became a classic paradigm for learning figure painting, which had a continuous impact on the portrait painting of the Song and Yuan Dynasties and even the Ming and Qing Dynasties. At the same time, this work promotes the transformation of Buddhist themes from simple religious worship images to emotional and secular expression, making religious paintings closer to the aesthetic needs of real life and ordinary viewers. From the cultural level, this painting not only shows the understanding of religion and life, but also reflects the confident, open and inclusive spirit of that era, so it has artistic and historical value that transcends religion itself.
Reference
[1]文心.吴带当风神来笔——《送子天王图》的故事[J].学与玩,2025,(04):42-43.
[2]趣味历史.《送子天王图》：唐代艺术与佛教文化的辉煌交融[EB/OL]. (2025-03-28). https://www.toutiao.com/article/7486756218292273683/
[3]魏若珂,杜永刚.浅谈吴道子《送子天王图》的绘画技法[J].美与时代(下), 2022, (07): 70-72. DOI:10.16129/j.cnki.mysdx.2022.07.046.
[4]张芸.从《送子天王图》观唐代道释人物画的流变[J].艺术品鉴,2015,(08):163.
[5]百度百科. 画圣吴道子和他的《送子天王图》：古今之变，天下之能事中矣[EB/OL].(2022-10-27).https://baike.baidu.com/tashuo/browse/content?id=0c0eaf1e3e14f74fb62e1c69
[6]张奥.浅析《送子天王图》的绘画特点[J].公关世界,2022,(11):46-49.
Terms
Born of Gautama Buddha 送子天王图
Sage of Painting 画圣
Orchid-leaf Brushstroke 兰叶描
The Sashes in Wu's Painting Flutter as if in the Wind 吴带当风
Fine-thread Brushwork 游丝描
Pictorial Composition 画面构图
Auspicious Beast 瑞兽
incense burner 香炉
Sakyamuni/ Gautama Buddha 释迦摩尼
King Suddhodana 净饭王
Aparajita 无能胜明王
Questions
1.What is the source of the subject matter of Born of Gautama Buddha?
2.What is the theme of Born of Gautama Buddha?
3. What is Wu Daozi's most prominent technique in this painting?
4.How does the Born of Gautama Buddha reflect the generating transformation of Buddhism in China?
5.What are the characteristics of the picture structure of Born of Gautama Buddha?
Answers
1. The work is based on Buddhist stories and depicts the scene of the heavenly king escorting the Buddha's birth.
2. The "Sending the Son" that symbolises the birth of life
3. The most prominent technique is "Orchid-leaf Brushstroke", which emphasizes the rhythm and strength of lines.
4. Buddhist themes are expressed by Chinese painting techniques and secular aesthetics.
5. The picture is divided into three sections, and the mood gradually transitions from tension to solemnity and stability.
期末论文
《送子天王图》
画家介绍
《送子天王图》的作者吴道子，是唐代最具代表性、影响力最为深远的画家之一，被后世尊称为“画圣”。他活跃于唐玄宗时期，这一阶段国势强盛、经济繁荣、社会开放，为艺术的发展提供了极为宽松而丰厚的土壤。他尤以人物画和佛道题材见长，强调用线造型，线条遒劲流畅、富有节奏，被概括为“吴带当风”，对后世中国人物画产生了不可替代的示范作用。[1]吴道子的绘画并不局限于宗教的庄严肃穆，而是善于捕捉人物的神态与内在精神，使神祇形象既具威仪，又富有人情意味。《送子天王图》正是他将高超技法、时代精神与宗教题材高度融合的代表作品。
画作主旨介绍
《送子天王图》取材于佛教故事，描绘天王护送佛祖降生、迎接圣婴的情景，主题围绕“送子”展开。画作包含三个部分，蕴含着生命诞生、光明降临与福泽人间的象征意义。从宗教层面看，这个作品是佛教中国化的一种体现，画作中叙事风格和方式中都带有中国审美与伦理结构，在内容上表现了佛法护佑众生的理念。同时在世俗情感上，作品又与民间重视宗族血脉的观念相通，体现了中国文化对于生命延续与家族繁衍的重视。整幅作品渗透着一种神圣而温暖的情感，传达出对生命的敬畏与珍视。画作所营造的氛围使观者在欣赏艺术的同时，也感受到一种心灵的平静与安宁。[2]
画作三大部分
画作前段描绘送子之神及其所乘瑞兽与天王及侍从天女的场景，是全画中气氛最为紧张、动势最强的部分。画面中，两位天神力士正奋力试图拖住奔驰欲行的瑞兽，瑞兽张口咆哮，充满力量感与不安定因素。天王端坐其上，双手按膝，神态威严而专注，目光紧紧锁定瑞兽，仿佛正在完成一项重大的决断。天王左右文武侍从环立，有的执剑戒备，有的手持毛笔与笏板准备记录，神情严肃而紧张。天王身后的天女则相对安静，或磨墨，或捧持器物，神态安详而恭敬。天王的冷静凝视与瑞兽的躁动形成鲜明对比，使这一部分成为画面情绪的高潮，牢牢吸引观者的视线。[3]
画作第二部分画的是一个踞坐在石头上的尊神，整体气氛由紧张转为庄严肃穆。尊神端坐于岩石之上，姿态稳重而威严，象征强大的护法力量。其背后烈焰腾腾，火焰中显现出虎、象、狮、龙、鸟头等诡怪形象，构成极具视觉冲击力的背景，暗示其降伏诸恶、守护正法的神力。左右两侧分布着手捧花瓶、香炉等法器的天女，以及执帚而立的天神，使画面秩序井然，充满宗教仪式感。
第三部分是释迦摩尼降生图，描绘了净饭王抱持婴儿稳步前行的场面，情绪趋于平和而庄重。摩诃波阇波提夫人双手合拱，紧随其后，姿态恭顺而虔诚，后方侍者执扇随行，使画面更具生活气息。画面一侧，无能胜明王作跪伏礼拜状，低眉俯首，恭迎释迦牟尼佛的到来。强大神祇的俯身礼拜，反衬出婴儿身份的至高无上，也象征着佛祖降生对天地秩序的重要意义。这一部分以平稳的节奏结束全画，使整幅作品在情感上由紧张走向肃穆与安定。
绘画技巧
《送子天王图》在绘画技巧上集中展现了吴道子高超而成熟的艺术风格。画中以“兰叶描”为核心，行笔劲利而不失流畅。[4]他将人物的衣褶、裙带处理得飘逸灵动，用不同粗细与浓淡的线条有效区分了神怪的刚健质感与妇女形象的柔和细腻。[5]吴道子以书法入画，打破早期均匀细线的游丝描传统，使线条既承担造型功能，又蕴含精神力量。同时，他吸收隋唐佛教壁画的表现方式，人物多施以红、绿、黄等暖色，色彩华丽而庄重。在整体造型上，画中天神、帝王及侍从的服饰与神态已完全汉化，融入盛唐宫廷人物的现实风貌，体现了吴道子以中国绘画语言表达宗教题材的艺术自觉与超前审美。[6]
画作影响
《送子天王图》在中国美术史上具有重要而深远的影响。它不仅是吴道子个人艺术成就的集中体现，也成为唐代人物画与佛教绘画发展的重要标志。作品中成熟而富有张力的线描方式成为后世学习人物画的经典范式，对宋元乃至明清人物画均产生了持续影响。同时，这幅作品推动了佛教题材从单纯的宗教崇拜形象向情感化、世俗化表达转变，使宗教绘画更加贴近现实生活和普通观者的审美需求。从文化层面看，《送子天王图》不仅展现了唐代社会对宗教、生命与秩序的理解，也体现了那个时代自信、开放而包容的精神风貌，因而具有超越宗教本身的艺术与历史价值。
参考文献
[1]文心.吴带当风神来笔——《送子天王图》的故事[J].学与玩,2025,(04):42-43.
[2]趣味历史.《送子天王图》：唐代艺术与佛教文化的辉煌交融[EB/OL]. (2025-03-28). https://www.toutiao.com/article/7486756218292273683/
[3]魏若珂,杜永刚.浅谈吴道子《送子天王图》的绘画技法[J].美与时代(下), 2022, (07): 70-72. DOI:10.16129/j.cnki.mysdx.2022.07.046.
[4]张芸.从《送子天王图》观唐代道释人物画的流变[J].艺术品鉴,2015,(08):163.
[5]百度百科. 画圣吴道子和他的《送子天王图》：古今之变，天下之能事中矣[EB/OL].(2022-10-27).https://baike.baidu.com/tashuo/browse/content?id=0c0eaf1e3e14f74fb62e1c69
[6]张奥.浅析《送子天王图》的绘画特点[J].公关世界,2022,(11):46-49.
术语
送子天王图 Born of Gautama Buddha
画圣 Sage of Painting
兰叶描 Orchid-leaf Brushstroke
吴带当风 The Sashes in Wu's Painting Flutter as if in the Wind
游丝描 Fine-thread Brushwork
画面构图 Pictorial Composition
瑞兽 Auspicious Beast
香炉 incense burner
释迦摩尼 Sakyamuni、Gautama Buddha
净饭王 King Suddhodana
无能胜明王 Aparajita
问题
1.《送子天王图》的题材来源是什么？
2.《送子天王图》主题围绕什么展开？
3.吴道子在这幅画中最突出的技法是什么？
4.《送子天王图》如何体现佛教中国化？
5.《送子天王图》的画面结构有何特点？
答案
1.作品取材于佛教故事，描绘天王护送佛祖降生的情景。
2.象征生命诞生的“送子”。
3.最突出的技法是“兰叶描”，强调线条的节奏与力量。
4.佛教题材采用中国绘画技法和世俗审美进行表达。
5.画面分为三段，情绪由紧张逐步过渡到庄严与安定。