This marble stele depicts a bodhisattva carved in
high relief against a leaf-shaped mandorla. It
dates to a time of unprecedented artistic
development that surrounded the period of
China’s unification in 439 AD, under the
Northern Wei (or Tuoba Wei). The rulers of the
dynasty seem to have originated from the Tuoba
clan of the non-Han Xianbei tribe, and later
renamed themselves the Yuans.
Standing on a lotus pedestal, the figure wears a
tall headdress and a flowing outer robe which
runs beneath the pedestal onto the rectangular
plinth. In his right hand he holds a lotus bud and
in his left a heart-shaped fan. These attributes
are common amongst bodhisattvas of the
Northern Wei period. The fan motif first appears
in a similar context in Gandharan Buddhist art of
the 1st century AD and was used to honour
high-ranking persons. In Chinese examples it is
always shown pointing downwards. Two sets of
concentric curves have been carved in low relief
to frame the bodhisattva. Delicate features are
one of the hallmarks of Northern Wei figurative
sculpture, reflected here in the slender arms and
body. The face and clothing are likewise finely
carved, with a long robe and tunic surmounted
by a flamboyant piece of headwear that frames
the face with two “wings”.
Buddhism was first introduced to China from the
Indian subcontinent along the trade routes of
Central Asia during the early years of the Han
dynasty. However it faced two powerful
competing ideologies, Confucianism and
Daoism, which initially impeded its progress.
When the Northern Wei, a foreign nomadic
people, conquered parts of China in the late
fourth century Buddhism was flourishing.
Bodhisattvas were often depicted in pairs around
a central image of the Buddha. These
enlightened beings choose to delay their entry
into Nirvana in order to help others attain
enlightenment. Although Buddhist texts do not
specify their gender, Chinese examples are
generally depicted as male until the end of the
Song Dynasty (1279), when they begin to assume
a feminine appearance. Bodhisattvas can usually
be differentiated from Buddha figures on the
basis of their decorative appearance; Buddhas
are invariably depicted in plainer raiment that
reflects their ascetic lifestyle.
The size of this piece suggests that it may have
functioned in a domestic setting as an aid to
devotional reflection. Although there is no
remaining trace of colour, it was probably
polychromed and gilded in its original state. At
this early date bodhisattvas tended not to be
venerated in isolation from images of the
Buddha, so it is not inconceivable that this piece
was once part of a group of free-standing
sculptures. The choice of material is also worthy
of mention: marble is uncommon, as the majority
of Buddhist art that survives from this period is
carved from limestone. The small, intimate scale
of this piece and the delicacy of the carving make
it a truly desirable object. (AM)
