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Maijishan Niche 78: Seated Buddhas
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Maijishan Niche 78: Seated Buddhas
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Maijishan Niche 78: Seated Buddhas
CHINA, Gansu, Tianshui; Northern Wei dynasty (386–534); Clay
These statues are the two remaining originally enshrined Buddhas of the Past, Present, and Future that sit on the back and left walls of a U-shaped altar. The third Buddha that once sat on the right wall is no longer present. The statues are similar to the main seated statues in Grottoes 19 and 20.
Seated in full lotus position, the Buddhas wear robes that cover only the left shoulder and have high topknots. The shading of the garment folds was carved as thin flat lines. The raised right hand of the figure on the back wall forms the abhaya (fearlessness) mudra, while the left hand is missing. The figure on the left wall forms the dhyana (meditation) mudra with both hands. |
