Cave 130, Mogao Grottoes, High Tang Period (705-781 A.D.)

This cave was excavated during the Kaiyuan Era and the Tianbao Era. It contains the second largest Buddha at Mogao Grottoes, also known as the southern giant Buddha for it is located to the south of the cave 96. The statue in this cave is 26m high, cut directly from sand-stone and then clayed, showing a sitting Maitreya Buddha. The format of this cave is like an inverted square cone with an inverted dipper shaped ceiling. From the top portions of the south and the north walls of the corridor were cut a niche respectively, with portraits of donors below. The south and the north walls in the main hall depict respectively a 15m high Bodhisattva, above are Mogao's largest flying celestials painted in Song Dynasty. A hall site of the Western Xia Dynasty exists before the cave. The 26m high Buddha has a 7m large head, though disproportionate in figure, it makes up visitor's visual gap when looking up from below, enables visitors to have a clear view of Maitreya's solemn and benevolent expression, and his sublimity as well.

Publishes at : 07-08-15 22:28

Url : http://www.asiavtour.com/China_Gansu_Dunhuang%20_Mogao%20Grottoes%20in%20Dunhuang_Attractions_a811_s4_c6422.html