Dafo Temple: Maitreya Buddha
Stone
Dafo Temple: Maitreya Buddha
CHINA, Zhejiang, Shaoxing; Southern Liang dynasty
This large Maitreya Buddha statue was originally constructed with legs pendent, but after repeated repairs, the figure now sits in full lotus position. Construction of the statue commenced in 494 and finished in 516. The statue measures 13.2 m in height and the throne is 2.4 m high. The Buddha is depicted with a square face and elongated earlobes. He has long eyebrows and narrowed eyes, and a tight spiral topknot in blue. Flame patterns surround the nimbus that is painted on the wall behind the figure. The body of the statue appears sturdy. Both shoulders are covered by the robe, and both hands form the dhyana (meditation) mudra. The statue is listed as a Provincial Cultural Heritage Property.
For more details, go to the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Caves A-E, page 213.
Cite this article:
author = Hsingyun and Youheng and Johnson, Peter and Mankuang and Huntington, Susan and Edson, Gary and Neather, Robert,
booktitle = {Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Caves A-E},
pages = 213,
title = {{Dafo Temple: Maitreya Buddha}},
volume = 5,
year = {2016}}