Mogao Cave 17: Thousand-Armed, Thousand-Eyed Avalokitesvara

CHINA, Gansu, Dunhuang; Tang dynasty

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva sits on a lotus throne in full lotus position, wearing gold ornaments, a colorful dhoti, and a tall headdress decorated with a Buddha image. The outer rim of the nimbus is decorated with cloud-shaped patterns. A large mandorla surrounds the figure. The numerous hands of the Bodhisattva form mudras or hold Dharma instruments. Three pairs of hands in front of the chest form the vitarka (teaching), anjali (reverence), and dhyana (meditation) mudras. Two of the hands beside the head support sun and moon discs, mirroring the depictions of Surya, the sun deity, and Candra, the moon deity, which are painted in the upper corners. A male and a female figure making offerings occupy the lower corners.