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Transformation tableau of Kṣitigarbha and the Ten Kings of the Underworld (地藏十王經變), Niche 60, the southern cliff (南岩), Yuanjue Cave (圓覺洞)

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

Niche 60 is located in the southern cliff (南岩) of Yuanjue Cave Cliff Sculpture Scenic Area (圓覺洞摩崖造像風景區), Yujishan (雲居山), situated in the northeast of Anyue County (安岳縣), Ziyang City (資陽巿), Sichuan. The southern cliff contains fifty-eight niches (Niches 15 to 72) of rock carvings, mostly dating from the Tang Dynasty 唐 (618-907) to the Five Dynasties 五代 (907-960). The ceiling and the right side wall of this niche are destroyed. The central wall depicts Kṣitigarbha (Dicang 地藏) in the middle, with two layers of images on either side. Kṣitigarbha, wearing a hood, sits on a throne in a Lalitasana position. His left hand is placed in front of his belly and seems to be holding an unknown object (maybe a pearl). A staff leans on his right shoulder. Traces of a peach-shaped halo are also found behind him. The throne is decorated with lotus buds and leaves in the front. A beast is depicted on the right side, while a small standing figure with a damaged head is on the left side. This small figure wears a robe and makes an Añjali Mudra (heshi 合十). Eight Kings of the Underworld appear in this tableau: four on the upper layer, two on the lower layer of the central wall, and two on the upper layer of the right side wall. All of them are sitting with desks before them. They are dressed as officials except the one on the left of the lower layer, who wears a warrior’s attire. Five small standing figures are depicted on the upper layer in between the Kings. Another five sitting figures are portrayed behind the two Kings in the lower layer. According to the inscriptions next to them these figures are the judges (panguan 判官). The bottom part of the niche depicts the hell scene. The Mirror of Retribution (Niejingtai 孽鏡臺) is in the middle, showing demons punishing a sinner. A similar scene is displayed on the right side while the left contains a standing figure, seemingly announcing the guilt of the sinners. Small human figures being punished, monsters, iron dogs and an iron snake are also portrayed. Source: Lei Yuhua 雷玉華, Wang Jianping 王劍平, Lu Yinke 盧引科, Fu Chengjin 付成金, Liu Jian 劉健, and Li Chongfeng 李崇峰. " Sichuan Anyue xian Yuanjuedong moya shike zaoxiang diaocha baogao 四川安岳縣圓覺洞摩崖石刻造像調查報告 [The Investigation Report of Yuanjue Cave Cliff Sculptures, Anyue, Sichuan]." Nanfang minzu kaogu 南方民族考古 (2013): 424-26. Descriptions of the photos: Overview of the niche [Image 01, Image 02, Image 03, Image 04]. Surrounding environment of the niche [Image 05]. Metadata created by: Sau Ling Wendy Yu.

Anyue (China); Sichuan (China); 30.11723; 105.3504

chi

Cluster 3.4: Typologies of Text-Image Relations

Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library

10.14288/1.0438601

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