Page 444 - The Golden Age of Chinese Archaeology: Celebrated Discoveries from the People’s Republic of China

first using a white base, then flesh colors for the
face, and last of all the facial features, with black
eyebrows, eyes and nostrils, and red lips in careful
detail. Their hair is arranged either in double or in
multiple topknots, and they wear round-necked
shirts. The lower two flying figures wear their hair
in a single topknot, their faces are square, they wear
shirts with lapels, and they sport black mustaches.
Therefore, it would appear that the top five are
female, while the lower two are male. The apsaras
are painted in black, sapphire blue, malachite, and
vermilion, and their ribbons are vermilion, sapphire
blue, malachite and ochre. Finally, the outer edge
and plain areas of the aureole have also been en-
graved with a fine filigree pattern of rushing flames
surrounding the apsaras.
The decoration of the figures comprises a vari-
ety of techniques: the garland in the Buddha's body
halo is defined in line-engraving; the Buddha's face,
hands and feet are gilded; vivid colors cover the
surface of the stone, especially the pattern of the
Buddha's outer garment with its fine detail and
special ornamenting with narrow inlaid gold bands.
The straight-edge manner of low-relief carving
and the iconography of the triad can be seen in
other dated pieces excavated in the Qingzhou area
and identify the sculpture as a product of the Later
Northern Dynasties period. In addition, there are a
number of features that mark the rarity of this triad
and that may be noted as characteristics of a
Qingzhou sculptural style: the complexity of the
color palette, the unusual level of detail in the
carving and painting, the variety in the depictions
of the attendant figures — whether their garments
or their visages — and of the apsaras — whether
their head, body or hand positions, and the detail
in the painting of their features and garments.
Moreover, the sense of gentle humanity in the
beatific expression of the Buddha and of the
attendant figures, and the majesty of the entire
configuration testify to a new level of spiritual
understanding of the sculptor and of the con-
gregation and patron for which this triad was
created. XM/AD

443 | B U D D H I S T S C U L P T U R E FROM Q I N C Z H O U