Showing  3576 - 3600 of 3690 Records

Showing  3576 - 3600 of 3690 Records
Cave 2
  • Title Translation: 第二窟
  • Period: Eastern Wei, 534-550 C.E.
  • Project: Tianlongshan Caves
  • Work Description: Cave 2 and 3, the paired caves, are believed to be from the Eastern Wei period and are the earliest caves at Tianlongshan. They are located on the eastern side of the Tianlongshan caves site and below the upper level caves. Cave 2 is on the right. The caves are distinctive for the many relief carvings on the walls and ceiling, most of which have been removed. he cave has a square plan with seated Buddha and bodhisattva images on the back and side walls. Relief figures of Vimalakirti and Manjusri appear at the sides of the main niche on the east wall, and two disciples dressed in monks' robes on the front wall flanking the doorway. The four sloping sides of the ceiling also have relief carvings of four flying apsarases, cloud patterns, and lotus blossoms around a large central lotus. Now only the central lotus remains on the ceiling.

Cave 3
  • Title Translation: 第三窟
  • Period: Eastern Wei, 534-550 C.E.
  • Project: Tianlongshan Caves
  • Work Description: Like Cave 2, Cave 3 has a square plan with Buddha and bodhisattva images with relief carvings on three walls.

Cave 4
  • Title Translation: 第四窟
  • Period: Tang, 618-907 C.E.
  • Project: Tianlongshan Caves
  • Work Description: Cave 4 is a small cave of the Tang dynasty. The existing porch in front of the entrance is about 1.5 meters wide. There were originally seven sculpted figures in the cave, a seated Buddha on the back wall, two seated bodhisattvas in the corners on the east and west side, and four standing figures. Most have been cut away.

Cave 5
  • Title Translation: 第五窟
  • Period: Tang, 618-907 C.E.
  • Project: Tianlongshan Caves
  • Work Description: Cave 5 is a small Tang dynasty cave whose front wall is now missing so that its original plan and contents are now unknown. Two seated images remain, a Buddha and bodhisattva.

Cave 9
  • Title Translation: 第九窟
  • Period: Tang, 618-907 C.E.
  • Project: Tianlongshan Caves
  • Work Description: Cave 9 was cut into the eastern edge of the western section at Tianlongshan in the Tang dynasty. It consists of a huge niche with two levels. The upper level is set back and has a massive colossal Maitreya Buddha image more than 7.5 meters high, seated with his back against the cliff and his head reaching nearly to the cliff top. The lower level has three large bodhisattvas carved in the round, a central standing eleven-headed Avalokitesvara (Guanyin) and two seated bodhisattvas at the sides, each riding on an animal. The Guanyin figure stands 5.5 meters high. Its head is a modern replacement for the original one. The bodhisattva on the east side, mounted on an elephant, is Samantabhadra (Puxian), and the one on the west side, sitting on a lion, is Manjusri (Wenshu). The large group of carvings is protected by a tall wooden structure that was reconstructed in recent times. The original building, believed to be from the Tang, was repaired in the tenth century, as recorded on the stele dated 975 preserved at the site.

Cave 10
  • Title Translation: 第十窟
  • Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
  • Project: Tianlongshan Caves
  • Work Description: Cave 10 is a Northern Qi cave that is just west of the colossal sculptures and wooden structure of Cave 9. It is accessible through an opening in the east wall adjacent to Cave 9. The entrance porch is now high above path in front of the cave. Still partially preserved on the west side, it has one large pillar remaining on the west side. The entrance porch has two guardian figures standing outside, one of which mostly remains. Like the other caves of the Northern Qi period at Tianlongshan, this is one of the larger caves, its interior a square chamber more than three meters on each side with figures carved on four walls. There are recessed niches on the back and side walls that contain most of the principle sculptural images. Smaller figures of musicians and lions appear along the front of the low altar.

Cave 11
  • Title Translation: 第十一窟
  • Period: Tang, 618-907 C.E.
  • Project: Tianlongshan Caves
  • Work Description: Cave 11 is a poorly preserved small Tang cave less than a meter square to the west and above Cave 10. Moving onward to the southwest, a figure of a monk carved in high relief appears on the cliff high above the path, standing as though paying respects to one of the two relief stupas flanking the entrance to Cave 12. The stupas are square single-story structures with a domed roof, and each has niche displaying a seated figure and two attendants. Similar in design to the many funerary stupas seen at Baoshan near Anyang, they may also be funerary in nature, commemorating deceased monks and nuns and containing their ashes.

Cave 11
  • Title Translation: 第十一窟
  • Period: Tang, 618-907 C.E.
  • Project: Tianlongshan Caves
  • Work Description: Cave 11 is a poorly preserved small Tang cave less than a meter square to the west and above Cave 10. Moving onward to the southwest, a figure of a monk carved in high relief appears on the cliff high above the path, standing as though paying respects to one of the two relief stupas flanking the entrance to Cave 12. The stupas are square single-story structures with a domed roof, and each has niche displaying a seated figure and two attendants. Similar in design to the many funerary stupas seen at Baoshan near Anyang, they may also be funerary in nature, commemorating deceased monks and nuns and containing their ashes.

Cave 14
  • Title Translation: 第十四窟
  • Period: Tang, 618-907 C.E.
  • Project: Tianlongshan Caves
  • Work Description: Cave 14 is a Tang cave that had finely carved sculptures, many of which are now in collections outside China

Cave 3
  • Title Translation: 第三窟
  • Period: Eastern Wei, 534-550 C.E.
  • Project: Tianlongshan Caves
  • Work Description: Like Cave 2, Cave 3 has a square plan with Buddha and bodhisattva images with relief carvings on three walls.

Cave 17
  • Title Translation: 第十七窟
  • Period: Tang, 618-907 C.E.
  • Project: Tianlongshan Caves
  • Work Description: Cave 17 directly adjacent to Cave 16 to the west, is one of the most important Tang dynasty caves and had a stele carved on the east side of the porch whose inscription is now entirely unreadable. The porch formerly had two muscular lishi figures guarding the entrance that are now missing. The interior chamber is about two meters square in plan with a low altar around three walls on which there were thirteen fine sculptural images—three seated Buddhas, four standing bodhisattvas, and six seated bodhisattvas. The figures are distinctive in their appearance, and they were well preserved a century ago. As a result, they were targeted, and numerous fragments taken from Cave 17 are known in museums outside China. To the west of Cave 17 and slightly below are two small carved relief stupas that were probably made to hold relics of the deceased. The openings in the stupa chamber are now empty.

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.

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

Flying Divinity, 3D model
  • Title Translation: 飞天 , 3D 模型
  • Period: Eastern Wei, 534-550 C.E.
  • Project: Tianlongshan Caves
  • Work Description: The flying divinity hovering above clouds is one of four such figures carved in relief on the ceiling of Cave 3.

Disciple Relief, 3D model
  • Title Translation: 弟子浮雕 , 3D 模型
  • Period: Eastern Wei, 534-550 C.E.
  • Project: Tianlongshan Caves
  • Work Description: The elderly disciple Kasyapa holds an incense burner in his hands.

Devotee Relief, 3D model
  • Title Translation: 信徒浮雕 , 3D 模型
  • Period: Eastern Wei, 534-550 C.E.
  • Project: Tianlongshan Caves
  • Work Description: Relief carvings of Buddhist worshipers appeared on the lower level of the walls of Caves 2 and 3.

Buddha Head, 3D model
  • Title Translation: 佛头 , 3D 模型
  • Period: Tang, 618-907 C.E.
  • Project: Tianlongshan Caves
  • Work Description: The snail shell curls of the hair are unusual on Tang dynasty Buddhas at Tianlongshan. The specific cave from which it comes is uncertain.

Buddha Seated, 3D model
  • Title Translation: 坐佛 , 3D 模型
  • Period: Tang, 618-907 C.E.
  • Project: Tianlongshan Caves
  • Work Description: Buddhas seated in this pose can be identified as Maitreya, the Buddha of the future. The figure is believed to be from the upper level Cave 3.

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.

Vimalakirti Relief, 3D model
  • Title Translation: 维摩诘浮雕 , 3D 模型
  • Period: Eastern Wei, 534-550 C.E.
  • Project: Tianlongshan Caves
  • Work Description: The wise layman Vimalakirti sits holding a fan and originally faced the bodhisattva Manjusri, on the opposite wall of Cave 3.

Devotee Relief, 3D model
  • Title Translation: 信徒浮雕 , 3D 模型
  • Period: Eastern Wei, 534-550 C.E.
  • Project: Tianlongshan Caves
  • Work Description: A single donor/worshiper dressed in a robe with wide sleeves walks holding a large lotus flower bud on a curving stem.

Buddha Head, 3D model
  • Title Translation: 佛头 , 3D 模型
  • Period: Sui, 581-618 C.E.
  • Project: Tianlongshan Caves
  • Work Description: The Buddha head is from the west side of the central pillar of Cave 8.

Buddha Head, 3D model
  • Title Translation: 佛头 , 3D 模型
  • Period: Sui, 581-618 C.E.
  • Project: Tianlongshan Caves
  • Work Description: The small head is carved of a reddish sandstone and has not been identified with any cave at Tianlongshan.

Finial Bird, 3D model
  • Title Translation: 瑞鸟 , 3D 模型
  • Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
  • Project: Tianlongshan Caves
  • Work Description: This bird and its mate came from the north wall of Cave 16 where they flanked the main group of Buddhist figures in the niche.