Sakyamuni Buddha
Stone
Sakyamuni Buddha
CHINA; Northern Zhou dynasty
The Buddha stands on a lotus pedestal and makes the abhaya (fearlessness) mudra with the right hand while holding a jewel in the other hand. The monastic robe covers both shoulders with folds falling in curving waves and gathering concentrically over the thighs. The shape of the legs shows through the fabric. The treatment of the body is different from the slender Buddhas of the preceding Western Wei dynasty (535–556).
The guardian lions that once stood on either side of the base are missing. An inscription identifies the statue as Sakyamuni Buddha and states that it was dedicated by Zhou Jiren on behalf of his parents in 580. The inscription is accompanied by a carving of a figure making an offering.
For more details, go to the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Sculpture N-Sr, page 914.
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 N-Sr},
pages = 914,
title = {{Sakyamuni Buddha}},
volume = 12,
year = {2016}}