Xiude Temple: Pair of Seated Buddhas
Marble
Xiude Temple: Pair of Seated Buddhas
CHINA, Hebei, Baoding; Eastern Wei dynasty
The twin sculptures was discovered at the Xiude Temple site. Images of two Buddhas sitting side by side comes from the “Chapter on the Emergence of the Prabhutaratna Pagoda” from the Lotus Sutra.
These two Buddhas are practically identical with hands in abhaya (fearlessness) and varada (wish-granting) mudras. They wear monastic robes that cover their legs and the fabric drapes over the edge of the bench in intricate folds. The composition is united by a shared mandorla. Images like this were popular during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534).
An inscription on the back of the stand dates the sculpture to 547 and ascribes the work to villagers of Gaomen, including Zhang Tongzhu, Zhang Yinweng, and Zhang Teng.
For more details, go to the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Sculpture St-Z, page 1390.
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 St-Z},
pages = 1390,
title = {{Xiude Temple: Pair of Seated Buddhas}},
volume = 13,
year = {2016}}