Open Collections

Niches 281-284, 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 281: The setting of this niche is similar to Niche 279. It contains an outer frame and two inner shrines. The inner shrine on the left contains an octagonal pillar. The base is decorated with two dragon motifs, while its top has three layers. The upper part of either side wall has three standing images in an auspicious cloud motif. The centre of the ceiling carves a lotus motif. Three Buddha images in circular shrines are carved above the upper frame of the shrine. The pillar’s body is carved with the text of the Sutra of the Victorious Buddha-Crown Mantra (Chinese: fo ding zun sheng tuo luo ni jing 佛頂尊勝陀羅尼經, Sanskrit: Uṣṇīṣavijaya dhāraṇīsūtra), dated to 954 CE (後蜀廣政十七年). 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. 347. The inner shrine on the right depicts three seated images in European postures with their feet stepping on lotus pedestals. They all have circular body halos and peach-shaped head halos trimmed with flame patterns. The central figure is a Buddha whose head is lost, flanked by two female attendants. The right one holds a staff. A pair of Bodhi trees are carved behind the Buddha with a bowl depicted on the tree canopy on the left side. The two bodhisattvas wear high crowns and hold round plates before their bellies. Four standing bodhisattvas are shown on either side wall. The ceiling has a lotus flower in the middle, surrounded by a pair of feitian 飛天 (Sanskrit: apsaras) and several musical instruments. Moreover, twelve guardian deities are carved on the platform below the Buddha. They all dress in warrior attire, standing on auspicious cloud motifs. Seven seated Buddha images are carved on the top outer frame of this shrine. Besides, a Buddha is in a small circular shrine between the two sets of Buddha images of both inner shrines. Inscriptions dated to 954 CE (後蜀廣政十七年) are found in the space between the two inner shrines, indicating that this shrine is a transformation tableau of Medicine Buddha (yaoshi bian 藥師變). 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. 347. The left side of the outer frame contains three bodhisattva images distributed vertically. They all carry a staff, hold a pearl, and have a standing attendant on their left. Based on the information in Niche 279, these bodhisattvas should be Kṣitigarbha (Dicang地藏). The right side of the outer frame has six standing images distributed in four small shrines vertically. The bottom of the outer frame carves several lotus flowers and leaves. Niche 282 depicts a seated bodhisattva image that is severely eroded. Niche 283 is empty. Niche 284 depicts two standing bodhisattva images. Only the right one remains. The bodhisattva, with an oval body halo and a circular head halo, carries a staff. Descriptions of the photos: Key to the niches [1]. Overview of the niches [2, 3]. Surrounding environment [4]. Close-up of Niche 281 [5]. Close-up of the pillar in Niche 281 [6]. Close-up of Niches 282, 283 and 284 [7]. 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

10.14288/1.0433226

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