Showing  1 - 4 of 4 Records

Showing  1 - 4 of 4 Records
Rulai Hall (Rulaidian, Tathagatha Hall or Shakyamuni Hall), small Buddha shrines
  • Title Translation: 如来殿 , 小佛龛
  • Period: Ming, c. 1444 C.E.
  • Project: Beijing Zhihua Temple
  • Work Description: The Rulai Hall is named for a title given to the historical Buddha Shakyamuni, from whose enlightenment and teachings the Buddhist religion originated. Rulai Hall has two stories and has approximately nine thousand small niches of Buddhas decorating the wall. The Rulai Hall (Hall of Śākyamuni) is on the first floor and the Wanfo Pavilion (Ten Thousand Buddhas Pavilion) is on the second—enclosed by walls on its east and west.

Rulai Hall (Rulaidian, Tathagatha Hall or Shakyamuni Hall), scripture cabinets
  • Title Translation: 如来殿 , 藏经橱
  • Period: Ming, c. 1444 C.E.
  • Project: Beijing Zhihua Temple
  • Work Description: The Rulai Hall is named for a title given to the historical Buddha Shakyamuni, from whose enlightenment and teachings the Buddhist religion originated. Rulai Hall has two stories and has approximately nine thousand small niches of Buddhas decorating the wall. The Rulai Hall (Hall of Śākyamuni) is on the first floor and the Wanfo Pavilion (Ten Thousand Buddhas Pavilion) is on the second—enclosed by walls on its east and west.

Rulai Hall (Rulaidian, Tathagatha Hall or Shakyamuni Hall), small Buddha shrines
  • Title Translation: 如来殿 , 小佛龛
  • Period: Ming, c. 1444 C.E.
  • Project: Beijing Zhihua Temple
  • Work Description: The Rulai Hall is named for a title given to the historical Buddha Shakyamuni, from whose enlightenment and teachings the Buddhist religion originated. Rulai Hall has two stories and has approximately nine thousand small niches of Buddhas decorating the wall. The Rulai Hall (Hall of Śākyamuni) is on the first floor and the Wanfo Pavilion (Ten Thousand Buddhas Pavilion) is on the second—enclosed by walls on its east and west.

Buddha Triad from Wanfo Pavilion (Wanfoge, Ten Thousand Buddhas Pavilion), throne of the Vairocana Buddha
  • Title Translation: 万佛阁三圣 , 毗卢遮那佛宝座
  • Period: Ming, c. 1444 C.E.
  • Project: Beijing Zhihua Temple
  • Work Description: The three figures on the ground level of the Rulai Hall are located directly below three other large Buddha sculptural images in the upper level, called the Wanfoge (Ten-thousand Buddha Pavilion). Of these sculptures, the central figure is artistically similar to the Shakyamuni in the lower level. It too is a very large golden figure displaying finely modeled features and wearing the same kind of robe and earrings. In addition, this Buddha wears a five-petaled jeweled crown, large necklace and additional jewelry on his arms and ankles. He sits on a larger multilevel, thousand-petaled lotus throne set on an elaborately carved base that indicate his superior status or importance. His hands are held up in front of his chest, with the index finger of the left hand raised and the right hand closed over it. This is the mudra called the “wisdom fist” and is the gesture of the Buddha Vairocana who is the dharmakaya Buddha. A large coffered ceiling with central dragon was formerly situated directly above him. The two other large Buddha sculptures in the Wanfoge are labeled as Sakyamuni Buddha and Rochana Buddha, and together with the central Vairochana they are identified as the Three Bodies of the Buddha. Rochana represents the Buddha body as sambhogakaya or baoshen, body of reward, an idealized vision worshipped by believers emerged.