Xingguo Temple: Zhangba Buddha

CHINA, Shandong, Binzhou; Eastern Wei dynasty

Any Buddha statue that is about 5 m high would be known as a Zhangba (Eight Zhang) Buddha. This particular statue is located at Xingguo Temple in Zhaigao village of Binzhou. The statue once contained an inscription that is now missing and any information was supplemented from temple records. The statue dates from the same time as the construction of the temple in 534 according to these records. It was listed as a Provincial Cultural Heritage Site in 1992.
The Buddha stands on a tall inverted double lotus pedestal. The hands point directly upwards and downwards in the conventional abhaya (fearlessness) and varada (wish-granting) mudras. The monastic robe covers both shoulders and is carved in a pattern of decorative folds. The statue is quite disproportionate, with features set far down the face and an exceedingly long neck and short legs. This type of style was quite common in Shandong during the Northern Wei (386–534) and early Eastern Wei (534–550) dynasties, but few remain.