Maijishan Grotto 159

CHINA, Gansu, Tianshui

This small, rectangular grotto is located on the east side of the west cliff below Grotto 141, and dates to the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534). The grotto has 28 Buddha and Bodhisattva sculptures, four of which have damaged heads. There are 22 donor figures; ten are well preserved and each is accompanied by an inscription.
The grotto houses a 92 cm high seated Buddha at the back wall and two attendant Bodhisattvas standing at the side walls. Each figure has a large, multi-layered mandorla decorated with a flame pattern. They date to the Northern Wei dynasty, but were restored during the Sui dynasty (581–618). Various small images are located on the walls on both sides of the figures in three tiers. The top tier on the back wall depicts Buddha triads, the middle tier has Bodhisattvas with attendants, and the bottom tier has images of various donors. On the side walls, each side of the top two tiers portrays two Buddhas seated either in lotus position or with legs crossed at the ankles. The bottom tier contains donor figures. There are only a few preserved murals in the grotto, such as apsaras and lotuses on the back wall, and two Buddhas on the front wall.