The series Leipzig Kucha Studies, in which seventeen volumes are planned, aims at publishing the results of the long-term research project (2016–2030) “Buddhist Murals of Kucha on the Northern Silk Road”. The project, conducted under the auspices of the Saxon Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Leipzig, focuses on an impressive corpus of wall paintings datable to approximately the fifth to tenth centuries CE and located in the Buddhist cave complexes of the ancient kingdom of Kucha on the Northern Silk Road. These narrative and devotional paintings form one of the most important sources for our understanding of the religious and intellectual history of Buddhism in Central Asia during the first millennium. The project is devoted to recording and annotating all surviving paintings of the region, including the fragments that were removed from their original sites as well as destroyed murals from which only drawings and historical photographs remain. The project also provides a platform for research on the history of Buddhism in the Kucha region and on the spread of Buddhism from South to East Asia.

The book a comprehensive study concerning the narrative paintings in Kucha on the Northern Silk Road (today’s Province Xinjiang, an autonomous region of the Peoples Republic of China) featuring episodes surrounding the Buddha’s death. The murals, dating from approximately the 5th to the 10th century, represent entire cycles of pictures which illustrate the events starting three months before the parinirvāṇa and ending with the first council. All together, 39 “occurrences” from the parinirvāṇa cycles have been represented in Kucha. Most of these were depicted repeatedly; only a few of them, however, were shown in separate scenes, while others were shown “within” bigger pictorial units. Relying on literary sources and comparative pictorial material, the book provides descriptions and analysis of the paintings, including both those in situ in the caves and the paintings which were removed from the walls and are presently located in the Museum für Indische Kunst in Berlin and in other collections around the world. The book is illustrated with 87 figures and 81 line drawings (mostly by the author) which make the often poorly-preserved murals comprehensible.:Acknowledgements List of Illustrations Drawings Figures I. Representations of the Parinirvāṇa Story Cycle in South Asia: An Overview II. Representations of the Parinirvāṇa Story Cycle in Kucha 1. Architectural Settings for Ritual and Religious Experience 2. The Parinirvāṇa Topics Depicted in Kucha and Their Literary Sources 3. Components of the Parinirvāṇa Cycle in Kucha Paintings The Buddha’s last journey Occurrence 1: Māra, demanding that the Buddha pass into parinirvāṇa Occurrence 2: Ānanda’s grief (in connection with Occurrence 1) Occurrence 3: The Buddha, departing from Vaiśālī Occurrence 4: The episode featuring the river / the donation of the bowl to the people of Vaiśālī Occurrence 5: The episode featuring the stone of the Mallas Occurrence 6: The Buddha accompanied by Indra and Brahma At the Buddha’s deathbed Occurrence 7: Ānanda, talking to the Mallas (1st Indo-Iranian Style) Occurrence 8: The parinirvāṇa (core elements) Occurrence 9: The approach of Indra and Brahma Occurrence 10: The conversion of Subhadra Occurrence 11: The enlightenment of a monk Occurrence 12: Ānanda’s conversation with Aniruddha Occurrence 13: Ānanda’s grief (within the parinirvāṇa representation) Occurrence 14: The worship of the tree deity Occurrence 15: The worship by the gods from heaven (ceilings and lunettes) Occurrence 16: Vajrapāṇi dropping the vajra Occurrence 17: The goddess (Māyā) among the attending gods Occurrence 18: Mahākāśyapa at the Buddha’s corpse After the Buddha’s death: The corpse and the relics Occurrence 19: The earthquake Occurrence 20: Ajātaśatru learning of the Buddha’s death Occurrence 21: The transportation of the coffin (1st Indo-Iranian Style) Occurrence 22: Mahākāśyapa meeting Ājīvika Occurrence 23: The opening (or closing) of the coffin before the cremation (1st Indo-Iranian Style) Occurrence 24: The cremation Occurrence 25: Nuns at the cremation Occurrence 26: Mahākāśyapa at the cremation Occurrence 27: Ānanda at the cremation Occurrence 28: Monks bringing wood Occurrence 29: Desperate gods and humans on a balcony above the cremation Occurrence 30: The extinguishing of the fire Occurrence 31: The advance of warriors demanding their share of relics Occurrence 32: The distribution of the relics Occurrence 33: Gods and demons carrying relics Occurrence 34: The relics: rows of stūpas (replacing narrative representations) The continuity of the dharma: Monks and the first council Occurrence 35: The gods asking Mahākāśyapa to convoke the first council Occurrence 36: Mahākāśyapa beating the gaṇḍī to call the monks to assembly Occurrence 37: The selection of 500 arhats for the council / accusations against Ānanda Occurrence 38: Ānanda or Upāli preaching at the first council Occurrence 39: Scenes with monks in the parinirvāṇa cycle / the veneration of Mahā-kāśyapa? III. Descriptions of the Representations of the Parinirvāṇa Story Cycle in Kucha 1. Kizil Cave 4 (Kaminhöhle A [Chimney Cave A]) Cave 7 (Höhle mit dem Fresco-Fußboden [Cave with the Fresco Floor]) Cave 8 (Sechzehn-Schwertträger-Höhle [Cave of Sixteen Swordbearers]) Cave 13 (Fünfte Höhle neben der Sechzehn-Schwertträger-Höhle [Fifth Cave next to the Cave of Sixteen Swordbearers]) Cave 13? (= Höhle oberhalb der Größten Höhle [Cave above the Biggest Cave]) Cave 17 (Bodhisattvagewölbe-Höhle [Cave with Bodhisattvas in the Vault]) Cave 27 (Nischen-Höhle [Cave with Niches]) Cave 34 (Höhle mit dem meditierenden Sonnengott [Cave with the Meditating Sun God]) Cave 38 (Höhle mit dem Musikerchor [Cave with Choir of Musicians]) Cave 43 Cave 47 (Höhle mit dem Kolossalbuddha [Cave with the Colossal Buddha]) Cave 48 (Höhle neben dem Kolossalbuddha (östlich) [Cave to the Side of the Colossal Buddha (to the east)]) Cave 58 (Höhle der Behelmten [Cave of the Helmeted]) New Cave 1 (Xin 1) Cave 69 Cave 76 (Pfauenhöhle [Peacocks Cave]) Cave 77 (Statuenhöhle [Statues Cave]) Cave 80 (Höllentopfhöhle [Hell Pot Cave]) Cave 97 Cave 98 Cave 99 Cave 101 Cave 104 Cave 107 A Cave 110 (Treppenhöhle [Stair Cave]) Cave 114 (Gebetmühlenhöhle [Prayer Wheel Cave]) Cave 148 Cave 155 Cave 159 Cave 161 Cave 163 Cave 171 (Höhle oberhalb der Kasettenhöhle [Cave above the Coffered Ceiling Cave]) Cave 172 Cave 175 (Versuchungshöhle [Temptation Cave]) Cave 178 (Schluchthöhle [Ravine Cave]) Cave 179 (Höhle mit den Japanern [Cave with the Japanese]) Cave 186 (Mittlere Höhle, zweite Schlucht [Middle Cave of the Second Ravine]) Cave 189 (Zweite Höhle von vorn [Second Cave from the Front]) Cave 192 Cave 193 (Nāgarājahöhle [Nāgarāja Cave]) Cave 195 Cave 196 Cave 197 Cave 198 (Teufelshöhle C [Devil’s Cave C]) Cave 205 (Māyāhöhle, 2. Anlage [Māyā Cave of the 2nd Group]) Cave 206 (Fußwaschungshöhle [Feet- washing Cave]) Cave 207 (Malerhöhle [Painters’ Cave]) Cave 219 (Ajātaśatruhöhle [Ajātaśatru Cave]) Cave 224 (Māyāhöhle, 3. Anlage [Māyā Cave of the 3rd Group]) Cave 227 (Pretahöhle [Preta’s Cave]) Kizil, cave number unknown (Cave 215 A?) Kizil, cave number unknown Kizil or Kumtura, cave number unknown 2. Kumtura Cave GK 24 Cave 7 Cave 10 Cave 12 (Nirvāṇa-Höhle [Nirvāṇa Cave], Höhle 33 [Cave 33]) Cave 16 (Kinnarī-Höhle [Kinnarī Cave], Höhle 14 [Cave 14]) Cave 23 (Höhle 19 [Cave 19]) Cave 30 Cave 31 Cave 34 Cave 38 Cave 42 Cave 46 (Höhle mit der Inschrift [Cave with Inscription], Höhle in der nördlichen Schlucht [Cave in the Northern Ravine]) Cave 53 Cave 58 (Nāgarājahöhle [Nāgarāja Cave], Höhle 42 [Cave 42]) Cave 61 Cave 63 Cave 65 Cave 68 Cave 71 3. Simsim Cave 1 (Höhle mit den Kinnarīs [Cave with Kinnarīs]) Cave 5 Cave 11 (Größte Höhle [Biggest Cave]) Cave 19 Cave 20 Cave 27 Cave 30 Cave 31 Cave 32 Cave 36 Cave 40 (Ritterhöhle [Knights’ Cave]) Cave 41 (Höhle mit zwei Vajrapāṇis [Cave with Two Vajrapāṇis], Brāhmaṇahöhle [Brāhmaṇa Cave]) Cave 42 (Halle mit dem Tierfries [Hall with the Animal Frieze]) Cave 43 Cave 44 (Höhle mit den kranztragenden Tauben [Cave of the Wreath-Carrying Doves]) Cave 45 Cave 48 4. Kizilgaha Cave 11 Cave 12 Cave 13 Cave 14 Cave 16 Cave 23 Cave 30 Cave 46 Kizilgaha, cave number unknown 5. Tograk-eken (Tuohulake’aiken) Cave 15 6. Taitai’er Cave 14 Bibliography Index Figures

The first volume of the Academy project 'Buddhist Murals of Kucha on the Northern Silk Road' contains three studies that show what information can be gained from the paintings. The first study by Ines Konczak-Nagel, “Painted Buddhist Cosmology: The Pictorial Programme of Central Pillar Caves in Kizil”, demonstrates how Buddhist cosmology, always seen in connection with the Buddhist path of salvation, is represented in the selection of topics and the arrangement of paintings on the cave walls. The second study by the same author, “Representations of Architecture and Architectural Elements on the Wall Paintings of Kucha”, is part of an ongoing extensive analysis of the material culture depicted in the paintings. The architecture represented provides insights into the local Tocharian architecture of Kucha, which has since disappeared. The study of Monika Zin “The Monk Kāśyapa in Kucha, the First Council, and the Furtherance of Buddhist Teaching” examines interesting extensions within the paintings illustrating the events connected with Buddha’s death, the many-scenic representations of the first council in Rājagṛha. There are good reason to believe that the monk Mahākāśyapa who was supposed to convoke the summit was worshiped in Kucha as a saint and guarantor of the preservation of Buddhist teachings.:Foreword by the Series Editors (Eli Franco and Monika Zin) I. Painted Buddhist Cosmology: The Pictorial Programme of Central Pillar Caves in Kizil (Ines Konczak-Nagel) Bibliography List of Illustrations with Acknowledgements II. Representations of Architecture and Architectural Elements in the Wall Paintings of Kucha (Ines Konczak-Nagel) 1 City Fortifications in 1st Indo-Iranian Style Paintings: Kuśinagara 2 City Fortifications in 2nd Indo-Iranian Style Paintings: Rājagṛha and Kuśinagara 2.1 Representations of the City of Rājagṛha 2.2 Representations of the City of Kuśinagara 2.3 Analysis of the Architectural Elements of City Fortifications 2.3.1 Walls 2.3.2 Loopholes 2.3.3 Crenellated Wall Walks 2.3.4 Towers 2.3.5 Gates and Access Paths 2.3.6 Decorative Elements 2.4 Conclusion 3 Representations of Fortifications of Other Cities in Kuchean Paintings 3.1 Depictions of City Fortifications with Towers along the Wall 3.1.1 Depictions of the City of nirvāṇa 3.1.2 Depictions of the City of Gods on Mount Meru 3.2 Simplified Depictions of City Fortifications 3.2.1 A Wall Painting in the 1st Indo-Iranian Style Showing the Story of Śroṇakoṭikarṇa 3.2.2 Wall Paintings in the 2nd Indo-Iranian Style Showing the Story of Maitrakanyaka 3.2.3 Wall Paintings in the 2nd Indo-Iranian Style Showing a City Fortification Occupied by Demons 3.3 Conclusion 4 Representations of Isolated City Gates and Palace Gates 4.1 Exceptions 4.2 Décor 4.3 Conclusion 5 Architectural Elements in and on Residential Buildings 5.1 Pillars 5.2 Ceilings 5.3 Windows 5.4 Balustrades 5.5 Conclusion 6 General Conclusion Bibliography List of Illustrations with Acknowledgements III. The Monk Kāśyapa in Kucha, the First Council, and the Furtherance of Buddhist Teaching. With an Appendix of Primary Sources Concerning the First Council as Given by Przyluski, Compiled by Fang Wang (Monika Zin) The Cycle within the Cycle: The Council of Rājagṛha in Kizil The Wall for Monks and the Cremation The Characteristics and Worship of the Monk Mahākāśyapa Mahākāśyapa in Kucha Appendix Bibliography List of Illustrations with Acknowledgements Index Figures