Jiuquan: Stupa

CHINA, Gansu, Dunhuang; Northern Wei dynasty

The stupa was found in Jiuquan in 1969. It consists of a two-tier base, a stupa body and some stacked rings. The bottom tier contains figures of four males and four females, each with a nimbus and holding a lotus. The top tier is inscribed with a section from the Ekottara Agama and a prayer dated to 436. It prays for the long life of Cheng Duan’er and his family. The stupa body is shaped like an inverted bowl and has eight niches with figures inside. Seven of the niches contain Buddhas of the past, seated in meditation, while one holds a future Buddha, who is seated with ankles crossed. Directly above the stupa body are seven stacked rings with a hemispherical cap at the top.