對龍門石窟的研究，本世紀以來一直沒有間斷。近年來有兩項成果尤其引人注目， 其一是中日合作出版的兩卷本《龍門石窟》，其二是日本京都大學曾布川寬教授的長篇論文〈唐代龍門石窟造像的研究〉，這標誌著龍門研究的新高度。然而，一些課題也繼續困擾著學術界，唐代阿彌陀佛的圖像學問題即為其中之一。據對龍門石窟的隋唐紀年造像進行統計，在有題記明確造像題材的造像中，阿彌陀佛和觀世音菩薩共佔71% 以上，這個數據在一定程度上反映了唐代造像中西方淨土信仰的主導趨勢，也為我們理解那些無題記的唐代造像提示了重要的背景參照。然而，另一方面，龍門研究的一些基礎性工作仍然沒有跟上，許多洞窟依然是〈黑洞〉，其中的佈置、造像、銘記等主要資料都不清楚。 已發表的碑刻題記中，很多都未和實際造像對上號，甚至不知所屬洞窟，這給進一步研究造成了困難。一九九五年八月，筆者有機會到龍門石窟進行了為期七天的唐代阿彌陀佛造像專題考察，得到了龍門石窟研究所的支持。由於時間和條件的限制，考察重點是中小型唐窟及阿彌陀造像比較集中的洞窟，以及少量大窟中位於中下部位的佛龕。主要有老龍洞、清明寺洞、蔡大娘洞，以及北市彩帛行淨土堂、徐惲洞和高力士洞(大唐內侍省造像)。其中對清明寺洞和蔡大娘洞的調查比較徹底，獲得了一些新的資料。現將考察資料以及一些體會報告於後。分為五部份，分別敘述。

　　　　　This article is a report of a survey carried out by the author at the site of study. Although research on the Longmen Cave-temples has to the present date already brought forth outstanding results, scholars are still confronted with some questions difficult to resolve. One of the main reasons why these problems have remained unanswered is the fact that basic material is not yet complete. There still are many caves of which statues nor inscriptions have been published, while statues corresponding to many previously published inscriptions have remained unknown. In view of this situation, the author has carricd out a special survey at the Longmen Cave-temples during the month of August, 1995. During this investigation, the author has focused on T'ang dynasty Amitabha statues, a survey which produced a fair amount of primary material for further research. The data brought forth by this survey include: I, The Qingming Si Cave: on the inside and outside walls of the cave there are a total of 52 inscriptions and 160 niches. This article organizes the material in tables, placing corresponding images and inscriptions side by side, and listing all information concerning their lay-out on the inside and outside walls of the cave, their content, size, etcetera. The cave counts 17 dated niches, bearing date between 675 and 714 A.D., amongst which 12 niches clearly represent Amitabha, and 9 niches Bodhisattva Kuanyin; II, The Cai Daniang Cave: this is a small cave on the northern side of the Qingming Si Cave. the author lists 69 niches and 16 inscriptions, dated between 670 and 680 A.D., III, The amitabha statue of the Lalong Cave: the author has found 24 Tang dynasty inscriptions pertaining to statues of Amitabha, dated mainly to the period between 650 and 669. Related data are arranged in a brief table; IV, Amitabha statues from other caves: I have listed part of the smaller niches situated between the Huijian and Shuangyao caves, early Tang niches from the binyang Cave, and some niches from the Lianhua, Zhaokeshi and Weizi caves. The inseriptions recorded in the article correspond to the Inscriptions noted in the appendix to Dr. Seiichi Mizuno and Dr. Toshio Nagahiro's A Study of the Cave-temples at Longmen, with some of the inscriptions here being published for the first time. The photographs published here were all taken by the auther, and some of them are equally being published for the first time. Lastly, this paper discusses small niches representing Amitabha that are dated to the reigns of Kaotsung, Wu Zctian and Xuanzong of the Tang dynasty. The author analyses changes in their base, robe, and mudra, and subsequently puts forward the following two conclusions: firstly, there does not exist a strong link between the form of the base and the identity of the Buddha; secondly, one can basically distinguish two different Buddha types, namely, the "Kaotsong type" and the "Wuzhou type".