Longhua Temple: Maitreya Buddha Triad
Gilt bronze
Longhua Temple: Maitreya Buddha Triad
CHINA, Shandong, Binzhou; Northern Wei dynasty
This is a typical triad in which Maitreya, accompanied by two Bodhisattvas, share a common mandorla supported on a four-legged stand. Maitreya stands on an inverted lotus pedestal with hands in abhaya (fearlessness) and varada (wish-granting) mudra. Behind the head is a large lotus nimbus with a confining outer rim. While the main figure wears a monastic robe that covers both shoulders, the Bodhisattvas wear long stoles and robes and stand facing forward with their palms joined in reverence.
The surrounding mandorla is petal-shaped and carved with stylized flame patterns. An inscription on the back dates the work to 532 of the Northern Wei dynasty, and identifies a man named Kong Que as the person who commissioned it.
For more details, go to the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Sculpture G-M, page 617.
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 G-M},
pages = 617,
title = {{Longhua Temple: Maitreya Buddha Triad}},
volume = 11,
year = {2016}}