Western Thousand Buddha Cave 8

CHINA, Gansu, Dunhuang

This south-facing central pillar cave is located in the western area of the cave system. The construction began during the Northern Zhou dynasty (557–581), with repairs made during the Sui dynasty (581–618). Many of the original statues, carvings, and murals have been damaged or destroyed, such as the south wall in the front part of the cave and various parts of the ceiling. The preserved original paintings include those on the central pillar and walls in the rear part of the cave. These paintings all date to the Northern Zhou dynasty, with the exception of Sui dynasty murals on the east wall and east end of the ceiling.
A niche in the central pillar’s south side contains a seated Buddha. Just outside the niche are two standing Bodhisattvas with damaged heads. Paintings of four Bodhisattvas and two apsaras are found on the upper wall beside the niche. The east and west sides of the central pillar are painted with an illustration of the Buddha teaching the Dharma.
The back (north), west, and east walls of the rear part of the cave can be divided into four registers. From top to bottom, they feature: apsaras, the Thousand Buddhas, donor figures, and yaksas. Located among the illustrations of the Thousand Buddhas on each wall are large images of the Buddha’s parinirvana on the west wall, Sakyamuni and Prabhutaratna Buddhas on the back wall, and the Buddha teaching the Dharma on the east wall.