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Tianlongshan Caves
- Title Translation: 天龙山石窟
- Period: Eastern Wei, Northern Qi, Sui, Tang, 534-907 C.E.
- Project: Tianlongshan Caves
Tianlongshan Caves
- Title Translation: 天龙山石窟
- Period: Eastern Wei, Northern Qi, Sui, Tang, 534-907 C.E.
- Project: Tianlongshan Caves
Cave 21
- Title Translation: 第二十一窟
- Period: Tang, 618-907 C.E.
- Project: Tianlongshan Caves
- Work Description: Cave 21 is the largest Tang dynasty cave with the exception of Cave 9. It now has traces of only a single larger than life-sized seated Buddha on the north (back) wall and five standing attendants (Photograph. Li 2003, color pl. 21). The cave is damaged by a large fissure in the stone that cuts across the east and west walls, thus the stone may not have been suitable for sculpting. It is possible that some of the figures formerly made for the cave were not attached to the walls, but carved separately and placed into the cave.
Cave 21
- Title Translation: 第二十一窟
- Period: Tang, 618-907 C.E.
- Project: Tianlongshan Caves
- Work Description: Cave 21 is the largest Tang dynasty cave with the exception of Cave 9. It now has traces of only a single larger than life-sized seated Buddha on the north (back) wall and five standing attendants (Photograph. Li 2003, color pl. 21). The cave is damaged by a large fissure in the stone that cuts across the east and west walls, thus the stone may not have been suitable for sculpting. It is possible that some of the figures formerly made for the cave were not attached to the walls, but carved separately and placed into the cave.
Buddha Head, 3D model
- Title Translation: 佛头 , 3D 模型
- 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.
Bodhisattva Standing, 3D model
- Title Translation: 立菩萨 , 3D 模型
- Period: Eastern Wei, 534-550 C.E.
- Project: Tianlongshan Caves
- Work Description: This is an assembled figure whose body and head were taken from Cave 2 and Cave 3 respectively, both dating to the first half of the sixth century.
Guardian Head, 3D model
- Title Translation: 天王、护法力士头 , 3D 模型
- Period: Tang, 618-907 C.E.
- Project: Tianlongshan Caves
- Work Description: The fierce expression of this head from the entrance to Cave 17 identifies it as a protector of Buddhism.
Bodhisattva Relief, 3D model
- Title Translation: 菩萨浮雕 , 3D 模型
- Period: Eastern Wei, 534-550 C.E.
- Project: Tianlongshan Caves
- Work Description: The figure stands in a pose of reverence to the sculpted Buddha and bodhisattvas in the niche on the west wall of Cave 3.
Guardian Head, 3D model
- Title Translation: 天王、护法力士头 , 3D 模型
- Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Tianlongshan Caves
- Work Description: The head is from a guardian figure on the east side of the entrance porch of Cave 16. It is currently matched with a body of unknown origin.
Flying Divinity, 3D model
- Title Translation: 飞天 , 3D 模型
- Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Tianlongshan Caves
- Work Description: This heavenly musician from Cave16 plays the sheng, a wind instrument consisting of a cluster of bamboo pipes joined at the bottom.
Bodhisattva Standing, 3D model
- Title Translation: 立菩萨 , 3D 模型
- Period: Tang, 618-907 C.E.
- Project: Tianlongshan Caves
- Work Description: The bodhisattva wears flowing scarves and skirt that emphasize the rounded contours of the body. The head is not original.
Bodhisattva Seated, 3D model
- Title Translation: 坐菩萨 , 3D 模型
- Period: Tang, 618-907 C.E.
- Project: Tianlongshan Caves
- Work Description: The bodhisattva figure is seated in a pose of royal ease, with right leg bent out to the side and with the foot resting on the throne beside the left knee. The head is a modern replacement for the original head, now in the Barnes Foundation Museum.
Buddha Head, 3D model
- Title Translation: 佛头 , 3D 模型
- Period: Sui, 581-618 C.E.
- Project: Tianlongshan Caves
- Work Description: The head is believed to be from the Sui dynasty cave, Cave 8.
Buddha Head, 3D model
- Title Translation: 佛头 , 3D 模型
- Period: Tang, 618-907 C.E.
- Project: Tianlongshan Caves
- Work Description: This finely carved head of the Buddha is from the east wall of Cave 18.
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 has a full youthful feminine face with raised arching brows, full cheeks and small mouth. The seated bodhisattva figure from which it was taken still remains on the north wall of Cave 21.
Musician, 3D model
- Title Translation: 乐伎 , 3D 模型
- Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Tianlongshan Caves
- Work Description: This is the upper part of a musician playing the panpipes that was seated at the base of the Buddha niche on the east wall of Cave 16.
Buddha Head, 3D model
- Title Translation: 佛头 , 3D 模型
- Period: Eastern Wei, 534-550 C.E.
- Project: Tianlongshan Caves
- Work Description: This head is from the main Buddha image on the north wall of Cave 2.
Bodhisattva Head, 3D model
- Title Translation: 菩萨头 , 3D 模型
- Period: Eastern Wei, 534-550 C.E.
- Project: Tianlongshan Caves
- Work Description: The head appears to be from a standing bodhisattva on the west wall of Cave 2.
Guardian Standing
- Title Translation: 天王、护法力士立像
- Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
- Project: Tianlongshan Caves
- Work Description: The site of Tianlongshan Caves is located about 40 kilometres southwest of Taiyuan city in Shanxi Province. 25 caves have survived to this day. Taiyuan, historically called Jinyang, was the auxiliary capital of the Eastern Wei (534-550 CE) and Northern Qi (550-577 CE) dynasties. The royal members of the Northern Qi were devout Buddhists. Emperors Houzhu (565-577 CE) and Youzhu (570-578 CE) had many Buddhist monasteries constructed in Jinyang, which made this capital a Buddhist centre in addition to a political hub of the time. This Heavenly King (Lokapāla) statue of the Northern Qi dynasty originally belonged to Tianlongshan Cave 10, which has a front corridor and a rear chamber. Its head formerly belonged to the Vajrapāṇibalin standing on the west side of the corridor, while the body of the Heavenly King originally stood on the west side of the front wall inside the cave. The head of the statue is carved with tightly knitted eyebrows, round bulging eyes, a high straight nose, a gaping mouth showing the upper teeth biting the lower lip, tense cubic face muscles, and a fierce and very spirited countenance. The low regal crown on the head is finely carved with motifs featuring wish-fulfilling gems, scrolling clouds and tassels. Old photographs showing the original appearance of this Heavenly King reveal that he previously had a long-shaft trident spear in his right hand and a jewelled crown on his head. The right knee is flexed, but left leg is straight – hinting a sense of motion, where the feet are on a hill-shaped pedestal with a demon crouching at the front. The upper body is bare apart from a torc over the chest, some string-like criss-cross ornaments around his neck and waist, and a streamer around the shoulders. The lower body is wrapped in a long skirt girded by a leather belt. Traces of red pigment are still visible on the surface of the present statue. This statue was stolen from the cave and taken to Japan in the early 20th century. In 1932, it was exhibited by Yamanaka & Co. Ltd in Japan. Later, it was acquired by Yurinkan Museum in Kyoto and then by a private collector in Taiwan. The chequered and proven provenance has made this extremely rare Heavenly King statue of the Northern Dynasties even rarer. It is among the gems of our Museum collection.
Longmen Binyang Central Cave, entrance south side
- Title Translation: 龙门宾阳中洞 , 入口南侧
- 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.
Longmen Binyang Central Cave, guardian
- Title Translation: 龙门宾阳中洞 , 天王, 护法力士
- 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).
Longmen Binyang Central Cave, north wall disciple and bodhisattvas
- Title Translation: 龙门宾阳中洞 , 北壁弟子菩萨
- 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.
Longmen Binyang Central Cave, lotus ceiling with celestial deities
- Title Translation: 龙门宾阳中洞 , 莲花天花板与天神
- 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.
Longmen Binyang Central Cave, bodhisattva feet, detail
- Title Translation: 龙门宾阳中洞 , 菩萨足，细节
- 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.
Longmen Binyang Central Cave, southeast corner
- Title Translation: 龙门宾阳中洞 , 东南角
- 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.