Li Ya

CHINA; Northern Wei to Sui dynasty

Li Ya was a painter and sculptor of the Northern Wei (386–534) to Sui (581–618) dynasty. As a student of Zhang Sengyou, Li was reputed for his paintings of the Buddha, ghosts, and immortals. Monk Yancong of the Tang dynasty (618–907) described him as an artist with a well-cultivated mind and skills that far surpassed those of his contemporaries. Famous Paintings in History recorded several of the murals that Li painted either solo or alongside other artists, including those in the main hall and west corridor of Yongtai Temple in Shaanxi; Kaiye Temple in Shaanxi; and Yanxing Temple.
Also a proficient sculptor, Li is known to have created each of the lively and skillfully painted statues in Universal Light Hall of Shaolin Temple in Henan. According to historical records, the statues in the hall included one Buddha, two Bodhisattvas, Ananda, and Mahakasapa, with two Vajrapanibalins, two Heavenly Kings, and two lions on either side of the entrance. In 692, the Heavenly King and lion statues were moved to the imperial palace to be redecorated with gold by Empress Wu Zetian (reigned 684–705). They were returned to the temple eight years later in 700.