Wen Family

CHINA, Sichuan, Ziyang; Song dynasty

The Wens were sculptors from Puzhou (present day Anyue, Ziyang). The earliest rock carvings inscribed with the Wen family names was in Dazhong Temple in Sichuan. An inscription on the Usnisavijaya Dharani Sutra Pagoda revealed that in 1052, Wen Weijian and Wen Weiyi carved the statues. In addition, according to other records, the Wen family created sculptures between 1052 and 1192.
Wen Chang, the first generation of artist family, passed down the trade to his sons, Wen Weijian and Wen Weiyi, and from there on was a succession of other father and son or nephew teams that created temple and cave sculptures. Seven generations in total comprised the Wen family and their lecacy.
Many of the Anyue Rock Carvings and Dazu Rock Carvings were done by the Wens. These Dazu Rock Carvings include Master Zhigong and Disciple in Shizhuanshan Niche 2 carved in 1085; the Manjusri and Samantabhadra Bodhisattvas in Shizhuanshan Niche 5 sculpted in 1090; the Trikaya Buddhas in Shizhuanshan Niche 7 created in 1082; and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and the Ten Kings of Hell in Shizhuanshan Niche 9 created in 1096. Shimenshan Cave 3 has Sakyamuni Buddha and Bodhisattva of Fragrant Flowers, and in Shimenshan Cave 13 there are Mountain Deity, Earth Deity, and Naga King. In addition, the statues in Miaogaoshan Cave 2 were carved by the Wen family, with an inscription indicating that the works were completed in 1144.
The Wens produced numerous works at the Dazu Rock Carvings sites, all of which were completed within a span of 200 years. They left behind a rich legacy of Buddhist, Daoist, and Confucian creations.