Mogao Cave 290

CHINA, Gansu, Dunhuang

Located in the south area, this central pillar cave was constructed during the Northern Zhou dynasty (557–581) and was renovated during the Song dynasty (960–1279). The front of the cave has a gabled ceiling decorated with narrative illustrations from the Life of the Buddha, while the rear ceiling is flat with a painted lattice motif. The cave has a square central pillar with a niche in each side. Within the niche on the west side is a cross-ankled Maitreya Bodhisattva with four attendant Bodhisattvas, and in the niches on the north, south, and east sides are a Buddha, two Bodhisattvas, and two disciples. Reliefs of the Thousand Buddha images which at one time adhered to the upper sections of the pillar walls have all fallen off. A depiction of the First Turning of the Dharma Wheel at Deer Park is painted on the narrow strip between the west slope of the ceiling and the top of the central pillar. On the four walls of the cave are images of heavenly beings within heavenly palaces at the top, Thousand Buddhas in the middle, figures making offerings near the bottom, and yaksas at the base. At the top of the north and south walls, below the gabled ceiling, are depictions of a Buddha and two Bodhisattvas, with lotus-born children on both sides. Below these are small teaching scenes and apsaras.