Parinirvana scene, MiuhParinirvana scene, Mt. Kongwang, E. Han, 2nd-3rd centuries

alongside daoist, carved in relief not particularly high, lying fig obv buddha others disciples, probably carved fr bottom up-parinirvana largest looks planned, common ground bw B and D

Hunping (funerary urn), Northern and Southern Dynasties, second half of 3rd century CE, glazed stoneware

tomb=dwelling place for immortal, buried objects used for survival and protection, purpose of urn=resting/dwelling place for deceased NOT OBJECT OF WORSHIP, row of seated buddhas on bottom tier, jars daoist meaning, artist didn't understand what Buddhas look like, don't see hands-gesture like queen mother, ushinisha bumo on head, so many by daoist understanding of distributing limitlessly

Mirror with design of deities and auspicious beasts, Northern and Southern Dynasties, 3rd century CE, bronze

tomb in w Japan, believe it's Chinese, image o Buddha QM and king father, some similarities some differences, preeminent figures, all same position, Buddha has halo welcomed into daoist pantheon, icon not obj of worship

Mahao tomb, E. Han, 2nd century CE

carved tunnel into mountain-regional practice (not underground), daoist immortals thought to live on mtn daoist region, Buddha carved above w hands raised, ushinisha, placement reminiscent o QM placement on rubbing, maybe placement served protective. Purpose, pt o pantheon?, 

Money tree, E. Han, bronze and ceramic

made to b placed in tombs, bottom of bronze, top branches animals interspersed w coins ("leaves"), giving relatives money for eternal afterlife, money auspicious, at top QM frontally facing w dragon tiger throne associated a immortality, Buddha seated further down trunk similar to image above tomb, must understand in context

Seated Buddha, 3rd-4th century CE, gilt bronze

object unquestionably used for buddhist worship, in order to prove superiority of Buddhism to heretics Buddha shot flames from shoulders-spiky things, likely commissioned by donors hollow inside, commemorates donors w images on base, could b carried, sm scale worship, offerings pt o sculpture-eternally receiving offerings, inspired by Gandhara region kushan period, stooped forward, initially had halo

Buddhas of the present and past – Shakyamuni and Prabhutaratna (from the Lotus Sutra), N. Wei, 518 CE, gilt bronze

Prabhutaratna=buddha o past, body in stupa vowed to appear when lotus sutra preached when shakyamuni preach p appeared saidd best sutra of all time hovered in air, artist interested in progression bw 2 CONTINUITY, mirror one another other than hand gestures, seeing buddhas side by side would trigger associations for views dont need to show stupa, look emaciated, garments spilling over pedastel in ornamental fashion ex of Southern Chinese figural styles to N

Buddhist stele, Western Wei Dynasty, 551 CE
L: front side; R: reverse side

inscription on bottom=ids of lay ppl who contributed and accrued merit (helping them w cycle of samsara/karma and ^ing image in community), front: large buddha scene on bottom, Back: only.5 width scenes, =height of buddha meant to memoralize Buddha in his absence after death, reverse side: coffin and parinirvana side by side -parallelism, suggests passage fr shakyamuni buddha to maitreya (shak's parinirvana on back, maitreya on front, ascent motif ankles crossed, deemphasizes past

Maitreya or Vairocana (?) Buddha, Bamiyan, 6th century
Xuanzang (ca. 632)
*taller Buddha*

vairocana doesnt appear on earth, maitreya powerful awesome height, trefyl arch unique to Bamiyan above Buddha head, path for cirambulation around head tunnel diff than India able to achieve what Buddha sees

Shakyamuni Buddha, Bamiyan, 6th century
*smaller Buddha*
ID as Shakyamuni by the monk Xuanzang

drapery folds created by suspending ropes along the surface of the Buddha's body attached w wooden pegs and the whole covered with mud plaster, clay attached to rock to produce finer sculptural details, originally adorned w metals/gemstones, dont have forearms dont know hand gesture, cirambulatory paths around feet,

Buddha, Yungang Cave 20, N. Wei, ca. 460-470 CE
*Amitabha Buddha (west)*

1 of 3 main cave sites in China, seated monumental buddha, >250 caves, believed to have been carved under encouragement of Tanyao "superintendent of Monks" likely believed 5 monumental buddhas could help w karma during persecution could stand for rulers, idea that there are multiple buddhas-expanded notion of Buddhahood, diff position help ID them as diff Buddhas, intended to have rock screens around them-framed carefully controlled viewing experience, standing bodhisattvas on either side, grouping o 5 budds=standard element o budd iconography occupy 4 cardinal directions and center, occupys purified world (our world=saha, defiled problematic bc petty jealousies no budd bc waiting for maitreya), style: angular fleshiness in face, elongated earlobes, boxy angular broad shoulders straight torso, drapery folds stand away from body, x sense of musculature, 1 shoulder covered like cape

Colossal Buddha, Yungang Cave 18, N. Wei,
ca. 460-470 CE, rock-cut architecture
*Vairocana Buddha (center)*

see Amitabha Buddha, ultimate buddha from which all other buddhas eminate either in pure realms or on earth, thought of as formless, new idea of buddhahood, tiny seated buddhas in folds of robe, 3 tiered view of buddhahood: v at top encompassing entire buddhist cosmos, NESW middle, Shakya/now waiting for Maitreya on earth, CONCERNED W SPACE NOT TIME

Seated Buddha, Middle Binyang Cave at Longmen,
N. Wei, ca. 523, rock-cut architecture

patron=emp of n wei dynasty, not chinese, rt hand "fear not" gesture, halo over head flame saped mandala, figs on either side=oldest and youngest monk disciples shaved heads, standing around monks=bodhisattvas, face: slimmer blocky oval finery sloping shoulders more proportional than, robe: outer robe covers shoulders evenly sash like robes of chinese court officials mirrors changes in N Wei Court/move south capital, medium sizedl, emp trying to state that he understood buddhism,

KJBJ

Great Buddha, Fengxian Temple, Longmen Caves,
Tang Dynasty, completed ca. 675 CE
*Empress Wu and Emperor Gaozong; Vairocana Buddha;
Flower Garland Sutra; Huayan Buddhism*

empress wu married into royal family, gained nottoriety-1st female emp, concubine killed heirs, cultivated close connectedness to buddhist establishment (befriended monks), had sutras translated and changed to suit her needs, International Gupta Style speaks to interconnectedness, (tighter, broad shoulders but not angular, still form fitting but looser, broad chest narrowing down to waist)

Heavenly King and Benevolent King, Fengxian Temple, Longmen Caves, Tang Dynasty, completed ca. 675 CE

groups of 4 guardian figures associated w directions, Vaishrahana holding stupa represents N glaring, benevolent king has sashes jewlery bald stay away gesture, musculature, meant to b viewed close up

Hungry Tigress jataka tale, Mogao Cave 254, N. Wei, late 5th century
*Prince Mahasattva* - synoptic narrative    

colors diff now, bottom right: tigress feasting on prince mahasatva, piercing side w thorn, jumping off cliff, circular motion bc artist visually created boundaries insider knowledge, synoptic=see characters repeated over and over, most imp elements, 3 figs=3 princes riding on horseback into forest, multistory tower=padoga chinese version of stupa, brothers discover bones, pagoda built in commemoration of brother

Hungry Tigress jataka tale, Mogao Cave 428, Northern Zhou,
ca. 550-575 CE
*Prince Mahasattva* - sequential narrative
*remember direction of viewing: right-left, left-right, right-left*

mts seperate scenes, nature motifs not seen in 254 here not natural depictions abstract mts=height o ppl trees out o ratio, seperates figures within scenes, diff fr 254: more pictoral space long slow build up x emphasis on every action loots of drama in lower right corner

Main niche, west wall, Mogao Cave 45, Dunhuang, Tang Dynasty, 8th century
*be able to ID the sculptures in this group (from the center outward):
Buddha, disciples, bodhisattvas, heavenly kings*

hks=guardians wearing armor, dialogue bw paintings and sculptures

Manifestations of Guanyin, south wall, Mogao Cave 45, Dunhuang,
Tang Dynasty, 8th century
*Lotus Sutra, Universal Gateway Chapter*

"one who hears the calls of others", entire S wall of cave, Bodhisattva, Avloketshra at center Bodhi wearing jewlery and headdress, compositional format similiar to India: figure in center scenes on sides diff: Avlok doesnt appear in all scenes but hes at center so you know he's there, 

Detail from Manifestations of Guanyin, south wall,
Mogao Cave 45, Dunhuang, Tang Dynasty, 8th century
*expedient means (upaya)*

Avloketshra can appear in 33 forms, allrepresented man w hands in front of him=buddhist devotee wearing court officials garments, Upper left: Avloketshra as a figure wearing armor and holding stupa=heavenly king of the north Vaishravana, petty kind, monks/nuns, beautiful woman, expedient means (upaya)=principle of mahayana buddhism in which buddha appears in whatever form people need to accept teachings (make buddhist dharma more accessible) implies ppl not ready to accept buddha in true form aka upaya Buddhism not one size fits all, use of nature: compared to hungry tigress landscape still provides divisions bw scenes but not as exaggerated more naturalistic panoramalike

Detail from Manifestations of Guanyin, south wall,
Mogao Cave 45, Dunhuang, Tang Dynasty, 8th century

Avlokeshra grants fearlessness to individuals who can face bandits force them to call out name of Buddha DELIVERANCE, lower right wood house=jail, another SCENE OF DELIVERANCE, boat blown off course, nature frames scenes

Mogao Cave 61, mid-10th century
Cao (Ts’ao) clan – “Return to Allegiance Army”
Donor: Cao Yuanzhong’s wife, Lady Zai (Dorothy Wong)

very large, U shaped alter example

Dragons on cloud,
Foguang Temple, and
Hebei Circuit (eastern route),
west wall,
Mogao Cave 61, mid-10th century