Kizil New Cave 1

CHINA, Xinjiang, Aksu

Situated in the west valley, this cave was discovered in the 1970s. It is a central pillar cave and was constructed during the 6th to 7th century. At present, the main chamber and the corridors remain. The chamber is square, at 4.89 m wide and 4.83 m deep, and has cantilevered corbels. At each end of its back wall is a side corridor that connects to the rear corridor, forming a central pillar. The rear corridor of this cave is spacious and rectangular.
The back wall of the main chamber has an arched niche in the center, now bereft of statues. A series of neat chisel marks can be observed on the wall outside the niche, originally part of a diamond-shaped representation of Mount Sumeru which merged with similarly shaped illustrations on the ceiling. There are long low platforms along the side walls. A series of horizontally chiseled square holes, and the two lines of stake holes for sculptures above them, are on both side walls. Between the holes are images of Bodhisattvas. The original ceiling of the main chamber has collapsed; the new one consists of five layers of diamond-in-square structures.
Both walls of the right corridor have also collapsed. Along the center ridge of the ceiling are astrological signs, including Surya, nagas, and Vayu. The two slopes of the ceiling are painted with trees and animals. There is a long platform at the bottom of the outer wall of the right corridor, above which are three statues of heavenly beings. The statues are damaged and only the lower halves remain. Images of standing Bodhisattvas are painted between the statues. There are two murals depicting scenes from karma stories and the Life of the Buddha at the bottom of the inner wall; the upper half of the wall has collapsed or disintegrated.
A parinirvana platform, upon which lies a colored, clay-sculpted reclining Buddha, is found at the bottom of the back wall in the rear corridor. The statue is partially damaged. A nimbus, an aureole, and mourning figures are painted above the statue on the outer wall. The right wall of the corridor is in ruins and the murals in the middle and bottom sections of the left wall are missing, while the upper section displays jewels and flower buds. The inner wall displays the Distribution of Relics Among the Eight Kings. Three apsaras are depicted on the ceiling.