Bingling Temple Cave 169: Buddha Triad

CHINA, Gansu, Linxia; Western Qin Kingdom

These sculptures are located within Niche 3, in the upper tier on the right side of the north wall of Cave 169. The triad consists of a Buddha, Bodhisattva, and a Heavenly King in front of a backscreen. The backscreen is constructed out of rattan coated with clay, measuring 2.3 m in height and width, and about 0.65 cm in depth.
The 1.35 m high seated Buddha in the center has a high usnisa, long rectangular face, and eyebrows outlined in ink. The Buddha wears a robe which covers both shoulders and the hands form the dhyana (meditation) mudra. A 1.32 m high Bodhisattva wearing earrings, necklaces, and a stole over the bare upper body is on the left. The figure holds a lotus bud in one hand. One of the earliest Heavenly King figures found within the Bingling Temple Caves is seen to the right of the Buddha. The 1.3 m high Heavenly King wears bracelets, a cape, and a high-collared garment resembling armor. His facial hair was created using a line incision technique. He holds a sword in one hand and a vajra in the other.
A nimbus and mandorla are painted on the backscreen behind the Buddha. The Buddha’s nimbus is decorated with nine seated Buddhas, while the mandorla contains images of seven Bodhisattvas. Above the nimbus is a painted canopy, with two apsaras depicted flying on either side. There is an inscription near the carving dating to the year 515 during the Northern Wei dynasty. This has been taken to indicate that the niche was most likely completed sometime before 515. Based on the style of the carvings, it is thought that the niche may have been constructed as early as the Western Qin Kingdom period (385–431).