Tuoshan Grotto 3

CHINA, Shandong, Weifang

On the east side of the complex, Grotto 3 is the largest and oldest at Tuoshan. An inscription inside the grotto notes that the large statue was donated by Lord Pingsang and a monk from Le’an. This inscription indicates that Grotto 3 may have been carved between 581 and 583 during the Sui dynasty. A paved passageway leads from the cliffside to the front of the grotto. The inside is oval and contains a large statue, the only one at this site. The grotto measures 5.4 m in width, 6.72 m in height, and 2.85 m in depth. Against the back wall is a high niche enshrining the Amitabha Buddha Triad. Amitabha Buddha wears an inner robe tied at the waist, covered by a loose monastic robe with a wide girdle. The folds are simple, and the hem of the robe hangs slightly over the throne. The right hand forms the abhaya (fearlessness) mudra, while the left makes the varada (wish-granting) mudra. The Buddha is flanked by Avalokitesvara and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattvas.
This statue of the Amitabha exhibits the unique characteristics of the early statues of the Sui dynasty (581–618). These include the finer and similarly carved lines of the eyebrows, eyes, and lips on the face of the Buddha. The curves of the lines reveal the figure’s expression, which differs sharply from the strong ornamental style of the late Northern Dynasties period (386–581).