Kaihua Temple Great Hero Hall: Sakyamuni Buddha Assembly

CHINA, Shanxi, Jincheng; Northern Song dynasty

This is the central image and the largest of the three illustrations on the west wall of the Great Hero Hall. Sakyamuni Buddha is seated on a lotus throne and sheltered under a canopy flanked by flying apsaras. Mount Sumeru is depicted above the canopy, with a Bodhi tree on the summit. The Buddha is surrounded by the Ten Great Disciples, Manjusri Bodhisattva, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, attendant Bodhisattvas, and heavenly beings. The Bodhisattvas wear floriated headdresses and gaze devotedly towards the Buddha with lifelike expressions. Flanking the tall base of the Buddha’s throne, there are Bodhisattvas kneeling on lotuses who hold up offerings. A three-tier pagoda is placed at the foot of the throne. There are also a number of heavenly beings, disciples, and ministers sitting on the ground listening to the Dharma. The many figures in the image are all arranged in a precise, hierarchical order. Blank cartouches are interspersed among the figures. Though the colors have faded, some exquisite details are still visible. The mural, which contains a multitude of figures neatly arranged according to their importance, is the largest example of assembly murals during the Tang (618–907) and Song (960–1279) dynasties.