Kongguang Temple: Maitreya Buddha
Iron
Kongguang Temple: Maitreya Buddha
CHINA, Shaanxi, Xi’an; Tang dynasty
When this statue was discovered at Kongguang Temple in 1998, one of the figure’s arms and the throne was already damaged. Judging from where it was found, it may have been the victim of the persecution of Buddhism in 845.
The Bodhisattva is seated with legs pendent and the right hand bent with palm facing outwards. The figure wears a monastic robe that hugs the body tightly, the excess cloth covering the seat in realistic folds. The openwork nimbus has a floriated inner rim and a pattern of flames outside it. Traces of gilding are visible on some parts of the statue. Although the copper right hand and nimbus were probably added or repaired later, the rest of the figure is cast in iron.
For more details, go to the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Sculpture G-M, page 554.
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 G-M},
pages = 554,
title = {{Kongguang Temple: Maitreya Buddha}},
volume = 11,
year = {2016}}