飞天【英】

Flying Apsaras

定义

飞天是佛教艺术中最著名、最活泼的形象之一，是天歌神和天乐神的合称，其职责是侍奉佛陀和帝释天，因能歌善舞且浑身散发着香气，所以又有“香音神”之称。敦煌飞天虽然是外来艺术形象，却完全中国本土化，成为代表中国文化尤其佛教艺术的精品。

Flying apsaras are one of the most well-known and iconic images in Buddhist arts. The term refers to both deities of heavenly song and deities of heavenly music, whose obligations are to attend upon the Buddha and Śakra, Lord of the Devas. Flying apsaras may also be called “deities of sweet fragrance and song” because they excel at singing and dancing, giving off fragrance from all parts of the body. Though flying apsaras are an artistic image originating outside of China, it was subsequently completely localized in China and became a component of classical Chinese culture, especially in Buddhist arts.