Stele

CHINA; Western Wei dynasty

On this stele, the head of kirtimukha with its jaws around a pair of bending dragons form the it’s upper curve. A Buddha attended by Bodhisattvas and disciples sirs within an arched niche beneath an upper composition. The lower part of the Buddha’s monastic robe fans out in wave-like layers characteristic of Western Wei dynasty (535–556) statues. A row of devotees is inset beneath the forefeet of the dragons and below them are the seven Buddhas.
The middle section includes ten rows of Buddhas, with a lower section containing eight donors. Their names are carved beside them, but have been weathered too severely to decipher. More donors riding on horseback appear below, with a cart drawn by oxen at the end of their winding procession. A further ten donors in line are at the very bottom of the stele. An inscription on one side states the stele was dedicated in 546 by a devotee with the family name Quan. The delicate carving and dense layout shows apparent influence by the Chinese culture from the central plains.