Mogao Cave 158: Illustration of the Mahaparinirvana Sutra - Kings in Mourning

CHINA, Gansu, Dunhuang; Tang dynasty

Located on the left side of the north wall within the main chamber, this detail from the illustration of the Mahaparinirvana Sutra depicts the kings, princes, and officials of eight kingdoms gathered at Kushinagar to mourn upon hearing the news of the Buddha’s passing into parinirvana. The emperor of China and king of Tibet are in the center of the group, while rulers from the kingdoms of Central Asia stand around them.
The Chinese emperor wears a tasseled crown and is flanked by two female attendants. He appears in terrible anguish, with his head tilted back, his eyes drooping and downcast, and his lips parted with teeth exposed in a grimace. Behind him, the other kings are clothed in the royal attire characteristic of their respective kingdoms. Particularly striking are the funeral rites of the Turkic figures on the lower right who cut off their ears and noses, slash their chests, and pierce their hearts with swords in grief.