 |
Bazhong Rock Carvings Southern Niche 25: Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva
|
| |
|
Bazhong Rock Carvings Southern Niche 25: Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva
CHINA, Sichuan, Bazhong; Tang dynasty (618-907); Stone; H: 1.21 m
Niche 25, where this carving is located, is partially collapsed; in particular, the outer layer, right side wall, and bottom of the niche are no longer extant. Within what was formerly the inner niche, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, dated to the High Tang period (712–756), sits in full lotus position under a round canopy. The Bodhisattva wears monastic robes and holds a string of beads. The face is rounded with long, slender eyes, thick eyebrows, and a prominent nose and chin. Behind the head is a circular nimbus and an oblong aureole. Eight groups of bas-relief figures, which appear to depict the six realms of existence, have been carved on the back wall on either side of the Bodhisattva. |
