Mogao Cave 61: Life of the Buddha - Palace Life and Four Encounters

CHINA, Gansu, Dunhuang; Five Dynasties

Located on the back (west) wall, these two scenes from the Life of the Buddha mural illustrate key moments in the early life of Prince Siddhartha. The prince’s father, King Suddhodana, tried to shelter him from the suffering of the world by preventing him from venturing outside the royal palaces and surrounding him with pleasures such as music and beautiful women. In the Palace Life Scene, the spring, summer, and winter palaces of Prince Siddhartha are depicted; the prince and his wife are shown attending a dance performance while musicians play in a courtyard. In the Four Encounters scene, the prince is shown venturing outside the city. At the east gate, an old man bows to the prince; at the south gate, he sees a sick man lying on a bed; and at the north gate, he meets a monk.