Open Collections

Niches 246-249, 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. Niche 246: This niche is damaged. The remains of two seated bodhisattvas can be seen. Niche 247: A standing bodhisattva with a circular halo. The image is severely eroded. Inscriptions dated to 1003 CE (北宋咸平六年) are found outside the niche frame, indicating that this is a niche for the salvational Avalokiteśvara (salvational Guanyin; Chinese: Jiuku guanyin pusa 救苦觀音菩薩). Source: Dazu shike yanjiuyuan 大足石刻研究院. Dazu shike quanji 大足石刻全集 [Dazu Rock Carvings] Edited by Li Fangyin 黎方銀. 10 vols. Vol. 3-1, Chongqing: Chongqing chubanshe, 2018, p. 154. Niche 248: The middle wall depicts two standing bodhisattvas. Both stand on lotus pedestals and have peach-shaped halos trimmed with flame patterns. Traces of a staff are found in the right hand of the bodhisattva on the left. Two standing donor images are depicted outside either side of the niche frame. Three layers of donor images below this niche belong to Niche 245. Niche 249: The middle wall depicts two seated bodhisattvas. The left one is sitting in a European posture on a lotus throne. The bodhisattva with a peach-shaped halo trimmed with flame patterns wears a high crown. There is a bowl in the left hand. The right side bodhisattva with a circular halo is seated on a Sumeru throne. He carries a staff. Two donor images are depicted outside the left niche frame, and one similar image is outside the right niche frame. Inscriptions dated to 896-945 CE (唐乾寧三年至後蜀廣政八年) and 995-997 CE (北宋至道年間) are found outside the niche frame, indicating that this is a niche for Avalokiteśvara (Guanyin觀音) and Kṣitigarbha (Dicang地藏). Source: Dazu shike yanjiuyuan 大足石刻研究院. Dazu shike quanji 大足石刻全集 [Dazu Rock Carvings] Edited by Li Fangyin 黎方銀. 10 vols. Vol. 3-1, Chongqing: Chongqing chubanshe, 2018, pp. 233-234. Descriptions of the photos: Key to the niches [1]. Overview of the niches [2, 3, 4]. Lower part of the complex [5]. Metadata created by: Sau Ling Wendy Yu.

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

chi

Cluster 3.4: Typologies of Text-Image Relations

Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library

10.14288/1.0433203

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