Stele

CHINA; Western Wei dynasty

In the stele’s curved upper part is a bas-relief of the scene in which Sakyamuni and Prabhutaratna sit side by side on thrones under an eaved pavilion. Bodhisattvas stand on either side, while stylized vegetation carved in relief grows outside and overhangs the building.
The middle section is contained within a rectangular surround. A niche with an elliptical lintel is in the middle, and above it is an elaborately chiseled curving roof that rises to a peak. Sakyamuni Buddha sits cross-legged on a pedestal from which hang overlapping layers of cloth within the niche. Flanking him are disciples, and beyond them, Bodhisattvas dressed in long skirts that reach to the ground are supported on separate lotus pedestals. Two smaller niches arranged vertically on either side of the central niche contain seated Buddhas and warrior guardians in the upper and lower tiers respectively.
The lower part of the stele is incised with figures making offerings on either side of a sacred mountain burner, and below them is an inscription dating the work to 549 of the Western Wei dynasty.