Maijishan Niche 78: Donors

CHINA, Gansu, Tianshui; Northern Wei dynasty

In 1965, this painting of donors was revealed when the U-shaped altar was cleaned. Unfortunately, most of the painting has since faded. The painting on the front of the altar is in better condition and displays sixteen figures divided into an upper and lower row. Each row consists of nine male figures approximately 23 cm in height. They wear headscarves which expose the middle part of their hair, with the front high and the back low. The trailing ends of the headscarves drape across the shoulders. Depicted as offering flowers or other items, each of the figures is clothed in a Northern style outer garment with overlapping collar, narrow sleeves, and a short lower garment. The waists are tied with sashes and the lower torso clad in wide, ankle-tied trousers above sharp-toed black boots. There is a cartouche next to each donor, with two legible ones written with “Chouchizhen,” the town where the donors were from. Based on these cartouches, the mural was painted after Emperor Taiwu (reigned 423–452) of the Northern Wei dynasty established that town in 446.