Bazhong Rock Carvings

CHINA, Sichuan, Bazhong

The Bazhong Rock Carvings are scattered around 59 locations near the city of Bazhong, and contain over 500 niches and 8,000 sculptures. Among the most prominent sites are the Northern Niches, Southern Niches, Eastern Niches, and Western Niches, as well as Shuining Temple, Shimen Temple, Shaxi Caves, and the Thousand Buddha Cliff. Most of the niche statues at these sites have Buddhist themes, though some contain a combination of Buddhist and Daoist themes, while others are dedicated to Confucianism or local customs. According to an inscription at the Western Niches, construction may have begun as early as the year 609 during the Sui dynasty (581–618). The Bazhong Rock Carvings flourished during the High Tang period (712–756), though construction began to slow down in later years.
There are a wide variety of sculptures at Bazhong, including depictions of the Western Pure Land, the Ten Great Disciples, the Twelve Yaksa Generals, Sakyamuni Buddha, Maitreya Buddha, and Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. In each case, Sakyamuni and Maitreya Buddhas are seated either in neighboring niches constructed at the same time, if not in the same niche. There are also numerous carvings portraying the Bodhi Figure, referring to the moment of Sakyamuni Buddha’s enlightenment. The illustration from which this image originates was brought back to Chang’an (present day Xi’an, Shaanxi) from India by the Tang dynasty envoy, Wang Xuance, and an accompanying sculptor, Song Fazhi.
Except for a few three-layered niches, most of the Bazhong niches are double-layered, with the outer niche shaped as a rectangular opening, and the inner niche designed either with a canopy, a rounded arch, or a rounded arch with an ogee arched lintel. The three-layered niches all have ogee arched lintels in the inner niche, a canopy in the middle layer, and an opening with a flat ceiling on the outside. Many of the canopies have double eaves decorated with hanging bells and curtains, with decorative support columns carved on either side. The exquisite detailing of the lintels and pillars are unique features of the Bazhong caves.
The design and content of the Bazhong cave statues were mostly influenced by the artistic styles of Chang’an and Luoyang during the Tang dynasty (618–907). The Buddha statues have sturdy builds and round faces, while the Bodhisattvas have dignified and lavish appearances and the warriors are muscular and imposing. More unique features of the niches in Bazhong include the canopy niches, with double eaves, as well as apsaras and nagas, which are rarely seen in Central Plain regions of Chang’an and Luoyang.