북위 용문석굴 고양동의 미륵상에 대한 고찰 －조상기 및 도상 분석을 중심으로－

초록

This study investigates the donor inscriptions explicitly naming “Maitreya” and cross-ankled Maitreya triads in Guyang Cave of the Longmen Grottoes, and seeks to elucidate the reception of Maitreya belief and the development of its iconography from the late fifth to the early sixth century. Unlike previous research, which has focused narrowly on chronological verification of individual inscriptions or the sinicization of imagery, this paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the interrelationship between inscriptions and images, considering donor identity, devotional motivation, and iconographic transformation. By examining these Maitreya-dedicated donor inscriptions from the Northern Dynasties throughout Guyang Cave and the wider Longmen complex, the study classifies donors by clerical and lay status as well as by social strata, and systematically correlates these findings with the corresponding Maitreya images. Particular attention is given to iconographic features such as the earth-deity(ditian 地天) beneath cross-ankled bodhisattvas, variations in attendant figures, and the emergence of monstrous motifs, discussed in relation to both scriptural sources and regional characteristics. The analysis demonstrates that Maitreya devotion in Guyang Cave evolved from an imperial and aristocratic orientation to broader communal participation, often organized through local associations(yiyi 邑義), reflecting its popularization, while also revealing a synthesis of Maitreya belief with the Confucian ethic of filial piety. Iconographically, the imagery both draws upon the Tuṣita preaching tradition of the Yungang Grottoes and develops distinctive Luoyang features, including standing attendants and earth-deity motifs. This study thus clarifies the stratified reception of Maitreya devotion in the late Northern Wei and the regional development of Maitreya iconography in Luoyang, providing a foundation for broader comparative approaches to East Asian Buddhist art.

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