CHINA ARQUEOLOGIA golden-age-chinese-archayeolog

quarter of the fifth century had begun to influence
the appearance of the originally Indian and Greco-
Roman, or Gandharan, style images. From the
square and powerful visages of the earlier figures
at Yungang, Shanxi province, for example, the
Buddhas were gradually transformed by the late
fifth and early sixth centuries to slender, elongated
images with a distinctly sinicized look and gentle
expression.
To the left and right of the Buddha stand attendant
bodhisattvas, compassionate beings that have
postponed enlightenment to aid those on earth to
achieve wisdom. The attendants are 53 centimeters
tall, smaller than the central figure, and also stand
on lotus pods, the strong stems projecting from the
stone and floating above protective lions painted
near the base; their slender form, delicate features,
and subtle smile mirror that of the Buddha himself.
With their hair combed into two buns, the attendants
are depicted with bare upper torsos; their
shoulders are softly draped by capelet shawls with
long streamers whose flowing shapes also echo the
graceful sweeps of the Buddha's robe.
Each bodhisattva holds a treasure box in his left
hand which, is raised to the chest; the other hand
dangles naturally. Each figure is sculpted slightly
differently in the detail of their garments and gestures.
The long shawls covering their shoulders fall
below the waist, and the drapery ends are knotted
through a pierced disk; the ribbons separate to
either side of the body. The attendant on the left,
who is wearing bracelets, catches the ends of the
shawl in the hand, while the attendant on the right
holds a peach-shaped object in the other hand,
flinging the sash over the wrist. Each wears the
Indian dhoti, which shows the same vibrant vermilion
color as the Buddha's robe, but with plain borders
at the hem. The garments have all been
sculpted to achieve an effect of softly covering the
body, with the fabric on the shoulders and trailing
ribbon ends given a slightly fluttering edge.
The attendants' halos — double rows of lotus
petals encircled by multicolored concentric rings
— are smaller and slightly different versions of the
Buddha's. Two other details differentiate these two:
the bodhisattva on the left has the waist sash tied
in a bow, while the figure on the right has a waist
sash that hangs downward. In addition, the proportion
of the features and expression of the figure on
the left appear softer and more feminine, while that
on the right is slightly more masculine. The colors
of their long dhoti have been completely preserved:
a bright vermilion field, on top of which are painted
mineral green, sapphire blue, and ochre lines; there
is also a pattern of four small rhomboid shapes
forming a floral shape and inlaid with a narrow,
5-centimeter trim of gold leaf.
In the large flaming aureole, seven flying
apsaras, or heavenly beings, are arranged with three
each on the left and right, and the seventh at the
apex. With one hand they hold onto the floral
wreath that comprises the outermost ring of the
Buddha's halo. Their colored ribbons flutter upward
with a strong sense of movement, as if propelled
skyward by the intensity of the Buddha's aura. Each
is poised in a different aerial position and is nicely
differentiated. The top five apsaras have refined
melon-shaped faces; they are painted meticulously,
442 EARLY IMPERIAL CHINA