Stele

CHINA; Wu Zhou period

The Buddha’s monastic robe leaves the right shoulder bare. The folds cross the upper body diagonally, then divide over the legs, and fall vertically. The left arm is held across the body and secures the sleeve of the robe wrapped about that arm. This stance causes the fringe of the robe below to ripple outward. The stele was created in the form of an overarching mandorla with a pattern of flames carved about the edges, into which are small Buddha images. A creature’s head at the top disgorges a garland that two apsaras support on either side.
The figure stands on a lotus pedestal that is positioned on a square base. An inscription at the center of the base records the vows of the male and female donors portrayed in insets on either side. The back of the stele features the Heart Sutra.
The conciseness in layout, the application of gilt, and the clear incisions of the inscription display a high artistic level attained during the Wu Zhou period.