Wanfo Pagoda: Water-Moon Avalokitesvara
Gilt copper alloy
Wanfo Pagoda: Water-Moon Avalokitesvara
CHINA, Zhejiang, Jinhua; Northern Song dynasty
This statue was discovered in the underground palace of Wanfo Pagoda in 1956. Avalokitesvara is seated upon a rocky outcrop in a variation of the relaxation posture. One foot rests on a jutting rock, while the Bodhisattva’s vase rests on another rock on the other side. The figure wears an elaborate openwork crown that is fronted by a seated Buddha and has ribbons hanging from the sidepieces. A heavy necklace decorates the chest and long, beaded ornament hangs down the length of the body. A stole is knotted at the chest while another is wrapped about the right. A round mandorla encircles the figure. This is decorated with tufts of flames on either side and more elaborately at the top.
For more details, go to the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Sculpture St-Z, page 1305.
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 = 1305,
title = {{Wanfo Pagoda: Water-Moon Avalokitesvara}},
volume = 13,
year = {2016}}