Mogao Cave 97: Kanakabharadraja

CHINA, Gansu, Dunhuang; Western Xia period

Cave 97 is located in the central section of the south area of the Mogao Cave site, and dates to the Tang dynasty (618–907). The extant murals were mostly repainted during the Western Xia period (1032–1227). The cave’s main chamber has a truncated pyramidal ceiling, and the back (west) wall has a niche. The north, south, and front (east) walls are painted with monks making flower offerings and the Sixteen Arhats.
An inscription beside this image on the north wall reads, “Third Senior Monk of Purvavideha, the Great Arhat Kanakabharadraja.” The figure is depicted in profile and has long eyebrows, large eyes, protruding cheek bones, and contorted back muscles. Seated on a small rug on the edge of a cliff, he raises a hammer in the right hand while the left hand rests on the knee. Two deer can be seen drinking water from the river far below on the left. A giant alms bowl emits seven-colored rays behind the deer, and red flowers on leafy stems are painted in the empty space around the Arhat. The bold lines of the image flow with energy.