Mogao Cave 275: Jataka of Sacrifice for a Gatha by Enduring a Thousand Nails

CHINA, Gansu, Dunhuang; Northern Liang Kingdom

Located on the middle section of the north wall, this mural depicts a story from the Sutra of the Wise and the Foolish. The king is seated with one leg folded beneath him. A stole is wrapped around his arms, and he wears a long lower garment. He has a nimbus and his eyes are closed. Green nails pierce his flesh all over his bare upper body. On the left, a bare-chested figure wearing a short dhoti holds a stone in his right hand and prepares to strike a nail into the king’s chest. A small man painted below the king kneels on the ground and holds his right hand up to his face, appearing to weep. Two apsaras fly above the king; one joins palms in reverence while the other flies toward the king with outstretched arms. Though the colors have changed over time, the scene remains vivid.