Tianlongshan Cave 9: Maitreya Buddha

CHINA, Shanxi, Taiyuan; Tang dynasty

The largest Buddha statue at Tianlongshan is situated on the upper tier of the niche at Cave 9, against the center of the back (north) wall. The hair of the Buddha is arranged in a coiled topknot, and the face is round with a dark urna on the forehead. The Buddha has thin, long eyebrows resembling crescent moons, above protruding eyes that have been severely weathered. The figure has a round nose, thick lips, and a strong build with broad shoulders. The missing left hand was once placed on the left knee while the right arm was slightly raised, but no longer exists. The Buddha sits on a double Sumeru throne with legs pendent and each foot placed on a lotus pedestal. A sagging monastic robe is worn over an inner robe, and the drapery is clearly and evenly incised with vertical lines on the arms and thighs.
Emperor Gao Heng (reigned 577) of the Northern Qi dynasty constructed the Xishan Great Buddha in Jinyang (present day Taiyuan, Shanxi). The remains of two Buddha statues discovered in Mengshan, southwest of Taiyuan, and near Tianlongshan are believed to be connected to the Xishan Great Buddha. This tradition of sculpting huge statues in the Jinyang area during the Northern Qi dynasty (550–577) provided models for the construction of other great Buddha statues.