Emeishan Wannian Temple Brick Hall: Samantabhadra Bodhisattva
Gilt copper alloy
Emeishan Wannian Temple Brick Hall: Samantabhadra Bodhisattva
CHINA, Sichuan, Leshan; Northern Song dynasty
The construction of the statue was supervised by the eunuch, Zhang Renzan, by order of the emperor. Separate parts were molded and cast in Chengdu, then transported to the temple where it was assembled. The statue weighs approximately 62 t. Initially, it was kept within a pavilion, since the Brick Hall that presently houses it was not constructed until 1600.
It is promised in the Lotus Sutra that those who recite it will be visited by a vision of Samantabhadra, like the statue depicted here. The richly caparisoned white elephant is 3.33 m high and has six tusks and stands on lotus blossoms. The Bodhisattva is 2.65 m high and is elaborately crowned. The figure sits in lotus posture on a large lotus throne that is mounted on the elephant’s back and is 1.42 m high. A ruyi (wish-fulfilling talisman) is held in the right hand while the left hand opens in a mudra.
For more details, go to the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Sculpture A-F, page 317.
Cite this article:
author = Hsingyun and Youheng and Lovelock, Yann and Chou, Yuan and Huntington, Susan and Edson, Gary and Neather, Robert,
booktitle = {Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Sculpture A-F},
pages = 317,
title = {{Emeishan Wannian Temple Brick Hall: Samantabhadra Bodhisattva}},
volume = 10,
year = {2016}}