Sixteen Arhats

CHINA; Southern Song dynasty

These paintings of the Sixteen Arhats each bear the signature of Lu Xinzhong. Thought to have lived during the Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279), Lu is also known for his paintings of the Ten Kings of Hell and Parinirvana. These pictures are based on descriptions in the Records of Nandimitra’s Discourse on Abiding Dharma, which states that the Arhats remain on earth, disguised in unlikely forms, to help protect the Dharma and guide sentient beings.
The Arhats are accompanied by attendants, devotees, and animals. Some are portrayed within natural landscapes of trees, rocks, water and cloud, while others are depicted indoors, surrounded by exquisite furniture, ornaments, and folding screens. One Arhat sits on a rock, reaching out with one hand towards a tiger that bends backwards to look up at the bearded figure. An attendant watches from behind a tree on the right. In another painting, an Arhat with a large, square head sits on a rock ledge and grasps the trunk of a tree, looking down with wide eyes at two fierce dragons who appear to fight over a flaming jewel.