Showing  701 - 725 of 977 Records

Showing  701 - 725 of 977 Records
Cave 16
  • Title Translation: 第十六窟
  • Period: Northern Qi, 550-577 C.E.
  • Project: Tianlongshan Caves
  • Work Description: Cave 16 is the most important Northern Qi cave at the Tianlongshan site. The porch still has elements of post and lintel construction and bracketing supporting the overhanging eave that derive from construction in wood. The interior had fine sculptures that partially remain. The cave is now inaccessible from the path, which may account for its relatively good state of preservation.

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 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 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.

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

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.

Buddha Seated, 3D model
  • Title Translation: 坐佛 , 3D 模型
  • Period: Tang, 618-907 C.E.
  • Project: Tianlongshan Caves
  • Work Description: One of the finest and best-preserved sculptures from Tianlongshan, this Buddha figure was the principal image in Cave 21.