CENTER FOR THE ART OF EAST ASIA
DIGITAL COLLECTIONS
List Gallery

Showing  376 - 400 of 400 Records

Relevance Title (A-Z) Title (Z-A) Date (Ascending) Date (Descending)
25 50 100
Showing  376 - 400 of 400 Records
  Map Filter   Date Filter
Active filters
Subjects: bodhisattvas   Remove all  
Bodhisattva Head
  • Title Translation: 菩萨头
  • Period: Tang, 618-907 C.E.
  • Project: Tianlongshan Caves
  • Work Description: The photograph of this fine head of a bodhisattva on the west wall of Cave 14 in the early 1920s shows that it was missing the topknot and nose which have not been repaired.
618 - 907

Bodhisattva Head
  • Title Translation: 菩萨头
  • Period: Sui, 581-618 C.E.
  • Project: Tianlongshan Caves
  • Work Description: The bodhisattva head is from a standing figure on the east wall of Cave 8.
581 - 618

Bodhisattva Head
  • Title Translation: 菩萨头
  • Period: Tang, 618-907 C.E.
  • Project: Tianlongshan Caves
  • Work Description: This finely carved head is from a standing bodhisattva on the west wall of Cave 14. The figure to which it belongs is in the Museum Rietberg.
618 - 907

Bodhisattva Head, 3D model
  • Title Translation: 菩萨头 , 3D 模型
  • Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
  • Project: Tianlongshan Caves
  • Work Description: The crowned bodhisattva head, believed to be from Cave 1, is partially covered with brown pigment and shows signs of damage and restoration.
550 - 577

Bodhisattva Standing, 3D model
  • Title Translation: 立菩萨 , 3D 模型
  • Period: Tang, 618-907 C.E.
  • Project: Tianlongshan Caves
  • Work Description: The standing bodhisattva is believed to be from the east wall, north side, Cave 18.
618 - 907

Bodhisattva Head, 3D model
  • Title Translation: 菩萨头 , 3D 模型
  • Period: Tang, 618-907 C.E.
  • Project: Tianlongshan Caves
  • Work Description: This finely carved head is from a standing bodhisattva on the west wall of Cave 14. The figure to which it belongs is in the Museum Rietberg.
618 - 907

Bodhisattva Head, 3D model
  • Title Translation: 菩萨头 , 3D 模型
  • Period: Tang, 618-907 C.E.
  • Project: Tianlongshan Caves
  • Work Description: The head of the bodhisattva is missing its topknot. Other heads from Cave 18 have had the topknot restored.
618 - 907

Longmen Binyang Central Cave, west wall
  • Title Translation: 龙门宾阳中洞 , 西壁
  • Period: Northern Wei, 386–534 C.E.
  • Project: Longmen Binyang Central Cave
  • Work Description: The Longmen Caves are located outside the city of Luoyang, China, about 500 miles southeast of the modern-day capital in Beijing. Established in the late fifth century, the site consists of 2,345 caves, and over 100,000 individual Buddhist statues, ranging in height from a few inches to over 56 feet. For more than 250 years, Chinese Buddhists from all walks of life sponsored the addition of Buddhist statues and inscriptions to the site, most significantly from the late Northern Wei (386-534) through the Tang dynasty (618-907). Binyang Central Cave is one of the earliest at Longmen and a major monument of Chinese Buddhism. Begun around the year 501, it was commissioned by the youthful Emperor Xuanwu (483-515) and dedicated to his father, Emperor Xiaowen, who died in 499 at age thirty-three. The cave is one of the major monuments of Chinese Buddhism. MEasuring roughly 30 feet in each dimension, its principal image is 28-foot-high seated Buddha largly filling the back of the cave and accompanied by smaller standing figures—disciples, Buddhas, and bodhisattva—on either side. The exit wall contained some of the finest stone relief carvings of the era, including depictions of two imperial processions, and a number of stories from Buddhist scriptures. After cave-making was discontinued for nearly a thousand years, the Longmen site was "discovered" by foreign scholars in the late 1800s. The publication of their studies with photos attracted international attention to the artistic quality of the sculptures. The publications ultimately led to the looting of much of the site in the early part of the twentieth century. In response to demand from art dealers, collectors, and museums around the globe, local stonecutters removed countless works from the caves, often breaking them into numerous fragments in the process. Pieces from the greater Longmen complex can now be found scattered throughout the world. In Binyang Central Cave, several heads and large portions of the relief carvings were cut or burned out of the walls. Fragments from Binyang Central Cave now reside in museums in the US and Japan, as well as in storage at the Longmen Research Institute in China. Many shattered pieces are identifiable today with the evidence of historical photographs and rubbings taken of the reliefs before their removal.
386 - 534

Longmen Binyang Central Cave, southwest corner
  • Title Translation: 龙门宾阳中洞 , 西南角
  • Period: Northern Wei, 386–534 C.E.
  • Project: Longmen Binyang Central Cave
  • Work Description: The Longmen Caves are located outside the city of Luoyang, China, about 500 miles southeast of the modern-day capital in Beijing. Established in the late fifth century, the site consists of 2,345 caves, and over 100,000 individual Buddhist statues, ranging in height from a few inches to over 56 feet. For more than 250 years, Chinese Buddhists from all walks of life sponsored the addition of Buddhist statues and inscriptions to the site, most significantly from the late Northern Wei (386-534) through the Tang dynasty (618-907). Binyang Central Cave is one of the earliest at Longmen and a major monument of Chinese Buddhism. Begun around the year 501, it was commissioned by the youthful Emperor Xuanwu (483-515) and dedicated to his father, Emperor Xiaowen, who died in 499 at age thirty-three. The cave is one of the major monuments of Chinese Buddhism. MEasuring roughly 30 feet in each dimension, its principal image is 28-foot-high seated Buddha largly filling the back of the cave and accompanied by smaller standing figures—disciples, Buddhas, and bodhisattva—on either side. The exit wall contained some of the finest stone relief carvings of the era, including depictions of two imperial processions, and a number of stories from Buddhist scriptures. After cave-making was discontinued for nearly a thousand years, the Longmen site was "discovered" by foreign scholars in the late 1800s. The publication of their studies with photos attracted international attention to the artistic quality of the sculptures. The publications ultimately led to the looting of much of the site in the early part of the twentieth century. In response to demand from art dealers, collectors, and museums around the globe, local stonecutters removed countless works from the caves, often breaking them into numerous fragments in the process. Pieces from the greater Longmen complex can now be found scattered throughout the world. In Binyang Central Cave, several heads and large portions of the relief carvings were cut or burned out of the walls. Fragments from Binyang Central Cave now reside in museums in the US and Japan, as well as in storage at the Longmen Research Institute in China. Many shattered pieces are identifiable today with the evidence of historical photographs and rubbings taken of the reliefs before their removal.
386 - 534

Sangharama Bodhisattva in Zhihua Hall (Zhihuadian, Hall of Transforming Wisdom), front
  • Title Translation: 智化殿伽蓝菩萨 , 正面
  • Period: Ming, c. 1444 C.E.
  • Project: Beijing Zhihua Temple
  • Work Description: Sangharama, also known by the name Guan Yu, refers to a "temple" or "monastery." In Chinese Buddhism, Guan Yu is revered by most practising Buddhists as a heavenly protector of the Buddhist dharma.
1444

Dazhi Hall (Dazhidian, Hall of Great Wisdom), seated bodhisattva
  • Title Translation: 大智殿 , 坐菩萨
  • Period: Ming, c. 1444 C.E.
  • Project: Beijing Zhihua Temple
  • Work Description: The Dazhi Hall is located east of the Zhihua Hall and opposite from the Sutra Hall. The hall initially enshrined three bodhisattvas, Avolokiteśvara attended by Mañjuśrī and Samantabhadra on an altar. Though different in function and interior layout, the Dazhi Hall has the exact measurements and structure as the Sutra Hall, its counterpart across from the courtyard.
1444

Lower Guangsheng Temple, front hall (or former Buddha's Temple), interior
  • Title Translation: 广胜下寺 , 前殿(或前佛寺)、内部
  • Period: Eastern Han, Yuan, 147 C.E., 1271-1368 C.E.
  • Project: Guangsheng Temple Murals
  • Work Description: The lower temple is made up by the temple gate, front hall, back hall (or Daxiong Temple), the buttress hall and other buildings that were all built in the Yuan Dynasty. The temple gate is rather high. It is 3-bay wide and 3-bay long with single-eaved gable and hip roof. Canopies added to the front and back eaves make it like a pavilion with double eaves. The front hall is five-bay wide with only two pillars supporting the whole hall. The back hall (or Daxiong Temple) was built in the second year (1309) of the Zhida reign of the Yuan Dynasty. It is 7-bay wide with 9 purlins, 8 rafters and a single-eaved overhanging gable roof. The main statues in the hall are Amitabha Buddha, Sakyamuni Buddha, Bhaisajyaguru Buddha, Manjusri Bodhisattva, and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva. They were all made in the Yuan Dynasty. Murals were once covered on the walls, but they were removed and shipped to the United States in 1928. The mural on the south wall recorded the performance of Yuan Drama. It is rare reference material for study on Chinese dramas.
147
1368

Lower Guangsheng Temple, back hall (or Daxiong Bodian), mural fragments
  • Title Translation: 广胜下寺 , 后殿 (即大雄宝殿), 壁画碎片
  • Period: Eastern Han, Yuan, 147 C.E., 1271-1368 C.E.
  • Project: Guangsheng Temple Murals
  • Work Description: The lower temple is made up by the temple gate, front hall, back hall (or Daxiong Temple), the buttress hall and other buildings that were all built in the Yuan Dynasty. The temple gate is rather high. It is 3-bay wide and 3-bay long with single-eaved gable and hip roof. Canopies added to the front and back eaves make it like a pavilion with double eaves. The front hall is five-bay wide with only two pillars supporting the whole hall. The back hall (or Daxiong Temple) was built in the second year (1309) of the Zhida reign of the Yuan Dynasty. It is 7-bay wide with 9 purlins, 8 rafters and a single-eaved overhanging gable roof. The main statues in the hall are Amitabha Buddha, Sakyamuni Buddha, Bhaisajyaguru Buddha, Manjusri Bodhisattva, and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva. They were all made in the Yuan Dynasty. Murals were once covered on the walls, but they were removed and shipped to the United States in 1928. The mural on the south wall recorded the performance of Yuan Drama. It is rare reference material for study on Chinese dramas.
147
1368

Water God's Temple (Shuishen Temple) of the Guangsheng Monastery, Ming Ying King Hall (or Mingyingwang Temple), fresco
  • Title Translation: 广胜寺水神庙 , 明应王殿, 壁画
  • Period: Eastern Han, Ming, 147 C.E., 1368-1644 C.E.
  • Project: Guangsheng Temple Murals
  • Work Description: The Water God's Temple has two yards: the front yard and the back yard, and includes the Temple Gate, the Door of Amenity, the Ming Ying King Hall and wing-rooms of cave dwellings. The Ming Ying King Hall is 5-bay wide and 5-bay long with a cloister around and a double-eaved gable hip roof. Beams inside are of common style. The hall houses statues of Water God Ming Ying King and his eleven attendants. Their facial features, clothes and gestures are all of Yuan style. Frescoes about people praying for the rain and other historical stories covered the walls, occupying an area of 197 square meters. The pictures of dramas at the eastern end of the south wall show a complete set of stage property for the performers: costumes, stage instruments, musical instruments, makeup, curtain, stage, and so on. The drawing was strictly arranged, the color was simple but profound, and dramatis personae were expressive. This fresco reflects the true condition of Yuan Drama in its peak time; it is a rare fine work of Yuan frescoes in China.
147
1644

Water God's Temple (Shuishen Temple) of the Guangsheng Monastery, Ming Ying King Hall (or Mingyingwang Temple), interior
  • Title Translation: 广胜寺水神庙 , 明应王殿, 内部
  • Period: Eastern Han, Ming, 147 C.E., 1368-1644 C.E.
  • Project: Guangsheng Temple Murals
  • Work Description: The Water God's Temple has two yards: the front yard and the back yard, and includes the Temple Gate, the Door of Amenity, the Ming Ying King Hall and wing-rooms of cave dwellings. The Ming Ying King Hall is 5-bay wide and 5-bay long with a cloister around and a double-eaved gable hip roof. Beams inside are of common style. The hall houses statues of Water God Ming Ying King and his eleven attendants. Their facial features, clothes and gestures are all of Yuan style. Frescoes about people praying for the rain and other historical stories covered the walls, occupying an area of 197 square meters. The pictures of dramas at the eastern end of the south wall show a complete set of stage property for the performers: costumes, stage instruments, musical instruments, makeup, curtain, stage, and so on. The drawing was strictly arranged, the color was simple but profound, and dramatis personae were expressive. This fresco reflects the true condition of Yuan Drama in its peak time; it is a rare fine work of Yuan frescoes in China.
147
1644

Water God's Temple (Shuishen Temple) of the Guangsheng Monastery, exterior
  • Title Translation: 广胜寺水神庙 , 外部
  • Period: Eastern Han, Ming, 147 C.E., 1368-1644 C.E.
  • Project: Guangsheng Temple Murals
  • Work Description: The Water God's Temple has two yards: the front yard and the back yard, and includes the Temple Gate, the Door of Amenity, the Ming Ying King Hall and wing-rooms of cave dwellings. The Ming Ying King Hall is 5-bay wide and 5-bay long with a cloister around and a double-eaved gable hip roof. Beams inside are of common style. The hall houses statues of Water God Ming Ying King and his eleven attendants. Their facial features, clothes and gestures are all of Yuan style. Frescoes about people praying for the rain and other historical stories covered the walls, occupying an area of 197 square meters. The pictures of dramas at the eastern end of the south wall show a complete set of stage property for the performers: costumes, stage instruments, musical instruments, makeup, curtain, stage, and so on. The drawing was strictly arranged, the color was simple but profound, and dramatis personae were expressive. This fresco reflects the true condition of Yuan Drama in its peak time; it is a rare fine work of Yuan frescoes in China.
147
1644

Lower Guangsheng Temple, back hall (or Daxiong Bodian), mural fragment
  • Title Translation: 广胜下寺 , 后殿 (即大雄宝殿), 壁画碎片
  • Period: Eastern Han, Yuan, 147 C.E., 1271-1368 C.E.
  • Project: Guangsheng Temple Murals
  • Work Description: The lower temple is made up by the temple gate, front hall, back hall (or Daxiong Temple), the buttress hall and other buildings that were all built in the Yuan Dynasty. The temple gate is rather high. It is 3-bay wide and 3-bay long with single-eaved gable and hip roof. Canopies added to the front and back eaves make it like a pavilion with double eaves. The front hall is five-bay wide with only two pillars supporting the whole hall. The back hall (or Daxiong Temple) was built in the second year (1309) of the Zhida reign of the Yuan Dynasty. It is 7-bay wide with 9 purlins, 8 rafters and a single-eaved overhanging gable roof. The main statues in the hall are Amitabha Buddha, Sakyamuni Buddha, Bhaisajyaguru Buddha, Manjusri Bodhisattva, and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva. They were all made in the Yuan Dynasty. Murals were once covered on the walls, but they were removed and shipped to the United States in 1928. The mural on the south wall recorded the performance of Yuan Drama. It is rare reference material for study on Chinese dramas.
147
1368

Lower Guangsheng Temple, back hall (or Daxiong Bodian), mural fragment
  • Title Translation: 广胜下寺 , 后殿 (即大雄宝殿), 壁画碎片
  • Period: Eastern Han, Yuan, 147 C.E., 1271-1368 C.E.
  • Project: Guangsheng Temple Murals
  • Work Description: The lower temple is made up by the temple gate, front hall, back hall (or Daxiong Temple), the buttress hall and other buildings that were all built in the Yuan Dynasty. The temple gate is rather high. It is 3-bay wide and 3-bay long with single-eaved gable and hip roof. Canopies added to the front and back eaves make it like a pavilion with double eaves. The front hall is five-bay wide with only two pillars supporting the whole hall. The back hall (or Daxiong Temple) was built in the second year (1309) of the Zhida reign of the Yuan Dynasty. It is 7-bay wide with 9 purlins, 8 rafters and a single-eaved overhanging gable roof. The main statues in the hall are Amitabha Buddha, Sakyamuni Buddha, Bhaisajyaguru Buddha, Manjusri Bodhisattva, and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva. They were all made in the Yuan Dynasty. Murals were once covered on the walls, but they were removed and shipped to the United States in 1928. The mural on the south wall recorded the performance of Yuan Drama. It is rare reference material for study on Chinese dramas.
147
1368

Water God's Temple (Shuishen Temple) of the Guangsheng Monastery, Ming Ying King Hall (or Mingyingwang Temple), interior
  • Title Translation: 广胜寺水神庙 , 明应王殿, 内部
  • Period: Eastern Han, Ming, 147 C.E., 1368-1644 C.E.
  • Project: Guangsheng Temple Murals
  • Work Description: The Water God's Temple has two yards: the front yard and the back yard, and includes the Temple Gate, the Door of Amenity, the Ming Ying King Hall and wing-rooms of cave dwellings. The Ming Ying King Hall is 5-bay wide and 5-bay long with a cloister around and a double-eaved gable hip roof. Beams inside are of common style. The hall houses statues of Water God Ming Ying King and his eleven attendants. Their facial features, clothes and gestures are all of Yuan style. Frescoes about people praying for the rain and other historical stories covered the walls, occupying an area of 197 square meters. The pictures of dramas at the eastern end of the south wall show a complete set of stage property for the performers: costumes, stage instruments, musical instruments, makeup, curtain, stage, and so on. The drawing was strictly arranged, the color was simple but profound, and dramatis personae were expressive. This fresco reflects the true condition of Yuan Drama in its peak time; it is a rare fine work of Yuan frescoes in China.
147
1644

Upper Guangsheng Temple, courtyard
  • Title Translation: 广胜上寺 , 庭院
  • Period: Eastern Han, Ming, 147 C.E., 1368-1644 C.E.
  • Project: Guangsheng Temple Murals
  • Work Description: The upper temple complex comprises the mountain gate, the Flying Rainbow Tower, the Amitabha Hall, the Great Hall, the Vairochana Hall, the Kwan-yin Hall, the Ksitigarbha Hall, as well as wing-rooms and corridors, among other features. The Mountain Gate, situated at the entrance, is flanked by two guardian warriors. Just beyond the gate stands the impressive Flying Rainbow Tower, constructed from colored glaze bricks. Originally built during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220) and later restored in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), this thirteen-story tower soars to a height of 47.31 meters, featuring an octagonal plan. The tower is adorned with tri-colored glaze in yellow, green, and blue, creating a splendid and vibrant spectacle. Elaborate wooden square blocks and intricately carved designs of Buddha, Bodhisattvas, guardian warriors, flowers, birds, and animals adorn the eaves and pillars. Corridors encircle the first story, while the tower’s interior houses only the stairs leading to the tenth floor, showcasing remarkable architectural and artistic prowess.
147
1644

Upper Guangsheng Temple, Sakyamuni Hall (or Daxiong Bodian), ceiling
  • Title Translation: 广胜上寺 , 大雄宝殿
  • Period: Eastern Han, Ming, 147 C.E., 1368-1644 C.E.
  • Project: Guangsheng Temple Murals
  • Work Description: The upper temple complex comprises the mountain gate, the Flying Rainbow Tower, the Amitabha Hall, the Great Hall, the Vairochana Hall, the Kwan-yin Hall, the Ksitigarbha Hall, as well as wing-rooms and corridors, among other features. The Mountain Gate, situated at the entrance, is flanked by two guardian warriors. Just beyond the gate stands the impressive Flying Rainbow Tower, constructed from colored glaze bricks. Originally built during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220) and later restored in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), this thirteen-story tower soars to a height of 47.31 meters, featuring an octagonal plan. The tower is adorned with tri-colored glaze in yellow, green, and blue, creating a splendid and vibrant spectacle. Elaborate wooden square blocks and intricately carved designs of Buddha, Bodhisattvas, guardian warriors, flowers, birds, and animals adorn the eaves and pillars. Corridors encircle the first story, while the tower’s interior houses only the stairs leading to the tenth floor, showcasing remarkable architectural and artistic prowess.
147
1644

Upper Guangsheng Temple, Sakyamuni Hall (or Daxiong Bodian), main Buddha image
  • Title Translation: 广胜上寺 , 大雄宝殿, 主佛像
  • Period: Eastern Han, Ming, 147 C.E., 1368-1644 C.E.
  • Project: Guangsheng Temple Murals
  • Work Description: The upper temple complex comprises the mountain gate, the Flying Rainbow Tower, the Amitabha Hall, the Great Hall, the Vairochana Hall, the Kwan-yin Hall, the Ksitigarbha Hall, as well as wing-rooms and corridors, among other features. The Mountain Gate, situated at the entrance, is flanked by two guardian warriors. Just beyond the gate stands the impressive Flying Rainbow Tower, constructed from colored glaze bricks. Originally built during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220) and later restored in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), this thirteen-story tower soars to a height of 47.31 meters, featuring an octagonal plan. The tower is adorned with tri-colored glaze in yellow, green, and blue, creating a splendid and vibrant spectacle. Elaborate wooden square blocks and intricately carved designs of Buddha, Bodhisattvas, guardian warriors, flowers, birds, and animals adorn the eaves and pillars. Corridors encircle the first story, while the tower’s interior houses only the stairs leading to the tenth floor, showcasing remarkable architectural and artistic prowess.
147
1644

Buddha of Medicine Bhaishajyaguru (Yaoshi fo)
  • Title Translation: 药师佛法会图壁画
  • Period: Yuan, 1319 C.E.
  • Project: Guangsheng Temple Murals
  • Work Description: Iconography: Bhaishajyaguru (A), the Buddha of Medicine, sits on a lotus throne surrounded by an assembly of deities. Standing to either side of the central figure are the Buddha’s attendant bodhisattvas: Candraprabha (B), or Yueguang Pusa 月光菩薩, and Suryaprabha (C), or Riguang Pusa 日光菩薩. They can be identified by the adjacent white moon and the red sun, respectively. Two larger bodhisattvas are seated to the right and left of the smaller standing figures. Two secondary bodhisattvas at lower left and lower right carry a monk’s staff and medicine bowl (D and E), Bhaishajyaguru’s traditional attributes. The Twelve Guardian Generals (F) are depicted at the two sides of the mural. They personify Bhaishajyaguru’s vow to help all in need by curing illness, ensuring the birth of healthy children, and providing clothing and other necessities. This painting was originally paired with an equally large image of Tejaprabha, the Buddha of Blazing Light, who controls the planets and constellations and, therefore, one’s fate. He is believed to bring good fortune and long life. The pairing of Bhaishajyaguru and Tejaprabha is unusual and may illustrate concerns fostered by the devastating earthquake and fire that destroyed the Guangsheng monastery complex in 1303. Technique and Style: This mural was painted on a ground of dry plaster mixed with straw and covered with clay. Thick black outlines define the images, which are filled in using vegetable and mineral pigments. Only the latter—predominantly red, green, and white—have survived. This is one of several murals from the Fen River area, in southern Shanxi province that are associated with the workshop of the early fourteenth-century master craftsman Zhu Haogu. A robust figure type with a full face and shallow spatial constrictions typify the style, found in both Buddhist and Daoist temple art. History: This representation of the Buddha of Medicine once adorned the east wall of the main hall in the Lower Guangsheng (“Vast Triumph”) Temple, in the northern Chinese province of Shanxi. Rebuilt after an earthquake in 1303, the temple’s eastern compound is constructed along a north-south axis. The large entry gate leads into the front and main halls, which are connected by covered walkways. Used for assemblies and lectures, the main hall once contained paintings on its east, north, and west walls, as well as numerous freestanding wooden sculptures of Buddhist deities. Records indicate that the hall was rebuilt and refurbished between 1303 and 1319. A stele at the temple indicates that in the 1930s the monks sold four of the murals decorating the main hall in order to prevent its collapse after being damaged by an earthquake.
1319

Guanyin Bodhisattva
  • Title Translation: 观音菩萨
  • Period: Yuan, 1279-1368 C.E.
  • Project: Wooden Bodhisattvas (Guanyin)
1279
1368

Longmen Binyang Central Cave, Manjusri Bodhisattva in the upper section of the north side of the East Wall of Cave 140
  • Title Translation: 龙门宾阳中洞 , 第140窟西壁右胁侍菩萨与南壁
  • Period: Northern Wei, 386–534 C.E.
  • Project: Longmen Binyang Central Cave
  • Work Description: The Longmen Caves are located outside the city of Luoyang, China, about 500 miles southeast of the modern-day capital in Beijing. Established in the late fifth century, the site consists of 2,345 caves, and over 100,000 individual Buddhist statues, ranging in height from a few inches to over 56 feet. For more than 250 years, Chinese Buddhists from all walks of life sponsored the addition of Buddhist statues and inscriptions to the site, most significantly from the late Northern Wei (386-534) through the Tang dynasty (618-907). Binyang Central Cave is one of the earliest at Longmen and a major monument of Chinese Buddhism. Begun around the year 501, it was commissioned by the youthful Emperor Xuanwu (483-515) and dedicated to his father, Emperor Xiaowen, who died in 499 at age thirty-three. The cave is one of the major monuments of Chinese Buddhism. MEasuring roughly 30 feet in each dimension, its principal image is 28-foot-high seated Buddha largly filling the back of the cave and accompanied by smaller standing figures—disciples, Buddhas, and bodhisattva—on either side. The exit wall contained some of the finest stone relief carvings of the era, including depictions of two imperial processions, and a number of stories from Buddhist scriptures. After cave-making was discontinued for nearly a thousand years, the Longmen site was "discovered" by foreign scholars in the late 1800s. The publication of their studies with photos attracted international attention to the artistic quality of the sculptures. The publications ultimately led to the looting of much of the site in the early part of the twentieth century. In response to demand from art dealers, collectors, and museums around the globe, local stonecutters removed countless works from the caves, often breaking them into numerous fragments in the process. Pieces from the greater Longmen complex can now be found scattered throughout the world. In Binyang Central Cave, several heads and large portions of the relief carvings were cut or burned out of the walls. Fragments from Binyang Central Cave now reside in museums in the US and Japan, as well as in storage at the Longmen Research Institute in China. Many shattered pieces are identifiable today with the evidence of historical photographs and rubbings taken of the reliefs before their removal.
386 - 534