Open Collections

Niches 193-205, Beishan Rock Carvings (北山石刻)

From the Ground Up: Buddhism & East Asian Religions (FROGBEAR Project)

This complex of niches is located in Beishan Rock Carvings (北山石刻), Fowan (佛灣), Dazu (大足) District, Chongqing. Since all images are severely eroded, their identities are unknown. Niche 193: The central wall depicts two seated figures flanked by a pair of standing figures. The figures are seated in European sitting postures with feets stepping on lotus pedestals. They share a rectangular throne, and their body and head halos are circular. The figure on the right side holds a staff. Nine small standing images are placed in the lower part of the central wall. Niche 194: The central wall has an image seated with crossed legs on a lotus throne, flanking by two standing figures. Niche 195: The remains of a seated image on the central wall. Another figure stands on the left side of the niche frame. Niche 196: The central wall depicts two standing bodhisattva images with circular halos. They carry round-shaped objects in their hands. Niche 197: The upper part of the niche has a seated six-armed figure in the middle flanked by a pair of feitian飛天 (Sanskrit: apsaras). The lower part of the niche and the side walls are damaged. Niche 198: A seated image flanked by two standing figures is placed in the middle of the central wall. There are three layers of images on either side of the middle wall. Most are damaged. Niche 199: The central wall has a seated image with a circular halo. A standing figure is depicted on the right side of the niche frame. Niche 200: The central wall has a seated image flanked by two standing figures in front of the throne. Niche 201: The remains of a seated image flanked by two standing figures appear on the central wall. Niche 202: Two standing bodhisattvas. Niche 203: One standing bodhisattva in the middle wall and one small standing figure on the right side wall. Niche 204: One standing bodhisattva in the middle wall and seven small standing figures distributed in two layers on the right side wall. The left side contains small standing images. Besides, the frame between niches 203 and 204 has a standing image. Niche 205: A seated image is depicted in the middle of the central wall. Nine figures placed in frames made by auspicious cloud motifs are found on the left side of the central figure. The setting of the right side is similar. Portions of a pair of feitian are located on the lintel of the niche. Descriptions of the photos: Key to the niches [1]. Overview of the niches [2, 3]. Close-up of Niche 197 [4]. Middle part of the complex [5]. Lower part of the complex [6, 7, 8]. Close-up of Niches 201-204 [9]. Close-up of Niches 201-205 [10]. Upper part of the complex [11]. Metadata created by: Sau Ling Wendy Yu.

Chongqing (China)); Dazu Qu (Chongqing, China); 29.71282; 105.71016

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Cluster 3.4: Typologies of Text-Image Relations

Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library

10.14288/1.0433195

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