I have no purpose or argument

[summercomfort]

Stele.

The different commemorative function of text (Confucian) vs. imagery (Buddhist, ritual)?
The breaking up/minimizing of text = what happened?

Monumentality of Stele
Stele = both public/private
Compare to funerary shrines (public, for one person/family) and larger sponsored buddhist art (public, for general). Dorothy Wong already did Chinese literary/commemorative stele.
Social background of Stele-erectors.

The intermingling of 2 sets of visual vocabulary: Buddhist vs. Funerary? (flexibility of icon <-How arrive at icon (religious vs. mass production). Mixture of art styles. )

Use for ethnic purposes?
Vimalakirti = Chinese, gentry, individual
Stele = Chinese
State Buddhism at first juxtaposition against Southern Chinese, foreign, silk road.
The sinification of the Tuoba Wei.

Comments

[lalainyourface.livejournal.com]

Odd, we're learning the basic of this stuff in history.

[summercomfort]

Really? What are you learning?

[lalainyourface.livejournal.com]

Um.. Confusinism, Buddhistism, Daoism, their differences, people like Dufu, and other vocab. words. Oh and inventions. Plus the silk road, China's shunning of the world. Basic stuff like that.
But no stele. What's that?

[summercomfort]

Ah, "China's Shunning of the World". That's been *so* questioned in the academic circles recently...

Stele are 碑

[lalainyourface.livejournal.com]

I'm now doing the chinese scroll project.
read my lj and find out.