Cultural Exchange Along the Great Silk Road and Its Influence on the Sculpture of Traditional China

The Great Silk Road was an important transport artery connecting China, Central Asia, South Asia, and Europe that had flourished for hundreds of years. Buddhism entered China via the Silk Road, bringing with it the religious art of India and Central Asia. During this period, cultural dissemination was not limited to religion but encompassed various art forms, such as architecture, painting, and sculpture. As cultural exchange along the Silk Road intensified, ancient Chinese sculpture gradually absorbed elements of multiculturalism, developing artistic characteristics that blended Eastern and Western styles. Studying the influence of religious and cultural exchange on the development of Chinese sculpture during the history of the Silk Road remains relevant today. By systematizing relevant materials and analyzing specific cases of religious dissemination through cultural exchange, this article examines the aesthetic features of Buddhist sculpture, specific symbols, and key techniques and methods for processing materials. Through multicultural exchange and religious fusion, the cultural and historical value of the Great Silk Road is revealed. Using contextual and formal-structural analysis of art objects, the multifaceted influence of historical processes on sculpture in Traditional China is revealed.