Stele

CHINA; Northern Wei dynasty

This stele is carved on all four sides. The front is divided into three registers, with Vimalakirti and Manjusri in debate at the top, attended by observers. The middle register is mostly worn away but depicts a niched Buddha flanked by two Bodhisattvas. The lintel of the niche features donors accompanied by servants holding parasols. Inscribed beside each figure are the names “Wang Longsheng, Magistrate of Xiangling County” and “Wang Huren, Magistrate of Pingyang County,” both of these relate to the Shanxi province. Dharma-protecting lions flank figures making offerings beneath the niche. The bottom register depicts scholars and bureaucrats in discussion or traveling. The inscriptions name them as Wang Dingluo, Wang Wuzi, Wang Longci, and Wang Wenyu.
The back of the stele has two distinct registers. Two niches are At the top, one over the other, each containing a Buddha triad. The bottom register has six rows of donors, each accompanied by a cartouche. The sides of the stele are uniformly carved with donors accompanied by attendants and cartouches.