摘要
本文首先討論唐玄宗的佛教政策，承認他不再如前代的帝王后參與支持大規模的佛教造像活動，但實際上也並未禁止佛教文化的繼續發展。接著，本文的重點是全面檢討唐代中國各地主要石窟在八世紀前後有何變化。首先，就石窟遺址來考慮，發現石窟的開鑿活動並未停止，但不像前代的龍門石窟在東都附近，而有逐漸遠離首都的傾向，在山西太原，尤其是四川的山區一帶繼續蓬勃地發展，表現出西南地區的文化生命力。
其次，從文獻資料上考慮唐代兩京的寺院佛教藝術活動，分別就玄宗朝最有名的畫家吳道子的藝術表現，以及密教真言宗三位祖師──開元三大士與玄宗的交往，他們如何運用圖像藝術顯示各種神通方便等等，考慮當時佛教藝術的特質。
最後，試從士人與僧團之間的來往，探討禪宗新思潮興後可能對佛教藝術產生何種影響。
This paper begins with a discussion of T'ang Hsuan-tsung's policies toward Buddhism, recognizing that he did not participate in or support the large-scale construction of Buddhist statues to the same extent as his imperial predecessors. Nevertheless, he did not actually prohibit the continued development of Buddhist culture. Next, this paper focuses on a comprehensive review of changes around the eighth century in major stone caves in each region of T'ang China. First, I look at cave sites. While the activities of hollowing out caves did not stop, they did not compare with those of the Lung-men Caves near the Eastern Capital, Lo-yang. Furthermore, there was a gradual trend of siting these caves further from the capital, as at Taiyuan in Shanhsi. The development in the mountainous regions of Ssuch'uan was especially prosperous, reflecting the cultural vitality of the southwest.
Furthermore, I consider Buddhist art activities at the temples and monasteries of the two T'ang capitals as recorded in historical texts. On the one hand, the artistic expression of the most famous painter of Hsuan-tsung's reign, Wu Tao-tzu, and On the other hand, I examine the activities and imperial conmection of the three patriachs of the Esoteric True Words Sect, Known also as the three masters of the K'ai-yuan reign period (713-741). In order to examine the particular qualities of artwork of the period I observe how these monks used graphic and statuary artwork to display, for example, their range of magical powers and favors.
Finally, I look at interactions between the elite and monks, and investigate the effects of the establishment of the new intellectual trend of Ch'an Buddhism on Buddhist art.