Yonghe Temple Wanfu Pavilion: Maitreya Bodhisattva
Sandalwood
Yonghe Temple Wanfu Pavilion: Maitreya Bodhisattva (detail)
Yonghe Temple Wanfu Pavilion: Maitreya Bodhisattva
CHINA, Beijing; Qing dynasty
The statue was carved from a single piece of white sandalwood that was sent by the Seventh Dalai Lama in 1750 as a gift to Emperor Qianlong (reigned 1736–1795). It stands 18 m above ground level and extends a further 8 m beneath. This was one of the three artworks from the temple that was included in the Guinness Book of Records in 1990.
Maitreya wears a five-leaf crown with the tutelary Sakyamuni at its center. The gilded statue is also adorned with numerous jeweled necklaces and bracelets. A stole hangs from the shoulders and the skirt is secured by an elaborately tied sash. The Buddha stands at ease, holding a lotus stalk in the right hand while the left hand is lifted in the vitarka (teaching) mudra.
For more details, go to the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Sculpture St-Z, page 1418.
Cite this article:
author = Hsingyun and Youheng and Lovelock, Yann and Chou, Yuan and Huntington, Susan and Edson, Gary and Neather, Robert,
booktitle = {Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Sculpture St-Z},
pages = 1418,
title = {{Yonghe Temple Wanfu Pavilion: Maitreya Bodhisattva}},
volume = 13,
year = {2016}}