Baoguang Temple Arhat Hall: Five Hundred Arhats
Clay
Baoguang Temple Arhat Hall: Five Hundred Arhats
Baoguang Temple Arhat Hall: Five Hundred Arhats - Arhat
Baoguang Temple Arhat Hall: Five Hundred Arhats
CHINA, Sichuan, Chengdu; Qing dynasty
The Arhat Hall was built around 1851 during the Qing dynasty (1644–1911). The hall contains 77 statues of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and patriarchs, as well as the Five Hundred Arhats. The hall has a two-by-two grid layout, with the statue of a Thousand-Armed, Thousand-Eyed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva in the center.
The Arhats are 2 m high, made of clay, and gilded. They line the sides of the hall and stand on a platform running down the center of the room. Portrayed as individuals with different facial expressions and distinct personalities, they wear various types of clothing. The Arhats either stand or sit, and also hold a variety of implements. Statues of Emperors Kangxi (reigned 1661–1722) and Qianlong (reigned 1736–1795) are also in the hall.
For more details, go to the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Sculpture A-F, page 119.
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 A-F},
pages = 119,
title = {{Baoguang Temple Arhat Hall: Five Hundred Arhats}},
volume = 10,
year = {2016}}