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Longmen Binyang Central Cave, Detail of the Bodhisattva on the right side on the West Wall of Cave 140
- Title Translation: 龙门宾阳中洞 , 第140窟西壁右胁侍菩萨部分
- 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
Eleven-headed Guanyin (Ekadasamukha)
- Title Translation: 十一面观音 (依卡达萨穆哈)
- Period: Tang, 703 C.E.
- Project: Guangzhai Temple Qibaotai Pagoda
- Work Description: This image is one of a group of relief-carved stone Buddhist plinths from Huatasi temple, Xian (also known as Baoqingsi). The symmetrically arranged body and the flowing drapery lines are particularly beautiful, making this an important fundamental piece in the study of Chinese early Tang period Buddhist sculpture.
703
Qibaotai Pagoda/Baoqing Temple Buddhist Niches
- Title Translation: 七宝台塔/宝庆寺佛龛
- Period: Tang, 703 C.E.
- Project: Guangzhai Temple Qibaotai Pagoda
703
Bodhisattva Head, 3D model
- Title Translation: 菩萨头 , 3D模型
- Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Xiangtangshan Caves
550 - 577
Bodhisattva Seated, 3D model
- Title Translation: 菩萨坐像 , 3D模型
- Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Xiangtangshan Caves
550 - 577
Bodhisattva Head, 3D model
- Title Translation: 菩萨头 , 3D模型
- Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Xiangtangshan Caves
- Work Description: Head of the Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta (Dashizhi)
550 - 577
Bodhisattva Seated
- Title Translation: 菩萨坐像
- Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Xiangtangshan Caves
550 - 577
Monster Kneeling
- Title Translation: 菩萨立像
- Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Xiangtangshan Caves
- Work Description: Standing Bodhisattva, robed, holding flywhisk and unidentified object.
550 - 577
Bodhisattva Head
- Title Translation: 菩萨头
- Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Xiangtangshan Caves
- Work Description: This is the head of the bodhisattva Maitreya, who is thought to be waiting in a heaven for the moment when he will be born to become the next Buddha on this earth. The expression on his face is serene as he waits in meditative bliss. Ribbons stream down the sides of his head from the beautifully articulated crown. Heavy earrings pull his earlobes down to his shoulders.
550 - 577
Bodhisattva Seated
- Title Translation: 菩萨坐像
- Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Xiangtangshan Caves
- Work Description: With beautifully stylized drapery and heavy ornaments, this bodhisattva looks powerful and introspective, seated in a yogic posture of meditation. His right hand is held up in a gesture that means, “Do not be afraid.” His left hand is in the gift-giving gesture. These hand positions simultaneously reassure supplicants and promise them that their pious wishes will be granted.
550 - 577
Northern Xiangtangshan, Middle Cave, archway
- Title Translation: 北响堂山中洞 , 拱道
- Period: Northern Qi, Ming, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Xiangtangshan Caves
- Work Description: The Middle Cave, the second largest of the caves in scale, still has its impressive entrance and large stone porch largely preserved. In recent times, a wooden porch-like structure was added to the front of the cave. Above the eaves of the porch and carved into the stone mountainside, there is a domed roof with a fenced harmika or platform at the top. The single-story stupa with domed roof is a distinctive feature of the design of the Xiangtangshan caves and appears on the walls of the North Cave and on many smaller stone carvings of the middle and late sixth century. Tall armored guardian figures stand under the stone eaves of the porch, and large lions support the columns flanking the door. Walking into the cave, visitors pass under the gaze of two tall bodhisattvas who face the entrance. The Middle Cave, like the great North Cave, has a large central pillar. However, it has only a single large niche deeply cut into the front of the pillar to form an altar on which a Buddha sits on a lotus throne accompanied by two tall standing disciple figures and two bodhisattvas. The base of the central pillar has relief figures of Spirit Kings, lions, and incense burners, much like the North Cave. The cave walls were originally left largely plain, but devotees of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) added a row of seated Buddhas contained in shallow niches that encircle cave's interior.
550 - 577
Stela, 3D model
- Title Translation: 石碑 , 3D模型
- Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Xiangtangshan Caves
- Work Description: Tall thin stela slightly rounded at the top in a dark limestone which has been weathered a golden brown. Both the obverse and reverse are in three registers with niches containing Buddhas and bodhisattvas. The inscription on the obverse gives the date as, "6th year of the Wuping period of the [Northern] Qi Dynasty, fourth moon, eighth day", which corresponds to May 3, 575 CE. The obverse shows Tushita Heaven at the top with Maitreya flanked by monks and bodhisattvas, and Sakyamuni and Prabuhtaratna Buddha in a small stupa above. The scene in the middle depicts a Buddha and a crowned bodhisattva with monks and bodhisattvas on either side. Between them stands a Buddha. Below this is a crowned bodhisattva underneath two trees flanked by monks, bodhisattvas, and pratyekabuddhas. The reverse side depicts Sukhavati, Amitabha Buddha's paradise, at the top, with reborn souls appearing in the foliage above the Buddha. In the center, Vimalakirti, a Buddhist layman, holds a fan as he debates with Manjusri, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom amid a group of seated monks. Below this is a scene from the Lotus Sutra showing Prabhutaratna and Sakyamuni Buddhas preaching together side by side. The sides of the stela show eight Buddhas, a standing Maitreya (with crown) and standing Sakyamuni Buddha with six Buddhas of the Past beneath them (three on each side). This stela probably came from the Xiangtangshan caves in Hebei province.
550 - 577
Southern Xiangtangshan, seated bodhisattva
- Title Translation: 南响堂山洞穴群 , 坐菩萨
- Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Xiangtangshan Caves
- Work Description: The two main groups of caves are known as Northern and Southern Xiangtangshan. The Northern Group, Bei Xiangtang, is the earliest and largest in scale and has three caves begun with imperial sponsorship; the Southern Group, Nan Xiangtang, has smaller caves numbered from one to seven; and a third site at Shuiyusi, also known as Xiao Xiangtang or “Little Xiangtang,” has one Northern Qi cave with sculptures.
550 - 577
Bodhisattva Relief
- Title Translation: 菩萨浮雕
- Period: Eastern Wei, 534-550 C.E.
- Project: Tianlongshan Caves
- Work Description: The relief sculpture is a composite of numerous fragments.
534 - 550
Bodhisattva Standing
- Title Translation: 立菩萨
- Period: Tang, 618-907 C.E.
- Project: Tianlongshan Caves
- Work Description: This figure and the other standing bodhisattva in the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art are a pair that once stood on opposite walls of Cave 4.
618 - 907
Bodhisattva Torso
- Title Translation: 菩萨身
- Period: Tang, 618-907 C.E.
- Project: Tianlongshan Caves
- Work Description: The torso appears to be from a standing bodhisattva on the east wall of Cave 6.
618 - 907
Bodhisattva Standing
- Title Translation: 立菩萨
- Period: Tang, 618-907 C.E.
- Project: Tianlongshan Caves
- Work Description: The figure is likely to be from one of the smaller caves at Tianlongshan where it stood as an attendant to the Buddha with hands held together in reverence.
618 - 907
Bodhisattva Head
- Title Translation: 菩萨头
- 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
Bodhisattva Head
- Title Translation: 菩萨头
- Period: Tang, 618-907 C.E.
- Project: Tianlongshan Caves
- Work Description: The head has been attributed to Cave 18.
618 - 907
Bodhisattva Head
- Title Translation: 菩萨头
- Period: Tang, 618-907 C.E.
- Project: Tianlongshan Caves
- Work Description: Bodhisattva head likely to be from Buddha niche on east wall of Cave 16.
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 is from the seated bodhisattva formerly in Cave 17 on the east wall, north side. The body is now in the Nelson Atkins Museums of Art.
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 is from the seated bodhisattva on the east wall of Cave 17 at the proper left side of the Maitreya Buddha.
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 is from the seated bodhisattva on the north wall, west side, Cave 18, as recorded in historical photographs. The topknot and nose are restored.
618 - 907
Bodhisattva Head, 3D model
- Title Translation: 菩萨头 , 3D 模型
- Period: Sui, 581-618 C.E.
- Project: Tianlongshan Caves
- Work Description: The head is from one of the standing bodhisattvas on the west wall of Cave 8.
581 - 618
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 bodhisattva head wearing elaborate crown is possibly from Cave 16.
550 - 577