A Study of the Color Configuration of Dunhuang(敦煌)Grottoes(石窟) Murals(壁画) in the Tang Dynasty under the Traditional Chinese “Five Colors” View of Color System

Abstract

Dunhuang murals are one of the most outstanding achievements in the art of traditional grotto painting in China, and are known as a “Wall Museum”. As a representative of the heyday of Dunhuang murals, an in-depth exploration of Dunhuang murals from the perspective of color will help researchers understand the laws and connotations of color in Dunhuang murals during the Tang Dynasty and fully grasp the art of Dunhuang murals. The color system of the traditional Chinese “Five colors” concept expresses the cultural attributes and emotions of the Chinese people and has distinctive national characteristics. This thesis provides a theoretical grasp of the traditional Chinese “Five colors” view of color system, the Dunhuang murals of the Tang Dynasty, and the color configuration of the color composition principles, and uses the modern design principles of color composition to conduct an in-depth analysis of the configuration of the Dunhuang murals’ use of color. Explore the unique characteristics of Tang Dynasty Dunhuang murals, and help modern designers master richer color application techniques by learning from and studying the harmonious patterns of Dunhuang murals to provide a new path for the dissemination of excellent Chinese traditional culture.