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Seated in dhyanasana on an oblong throne with
incised lotus border, the Buddha clasps his
hands in bhumisparsa and dhyana mudras. The
delicate features of his oval face consist of a
wide forehead, narrow downcast eyes outlined in
black lacquer, small nose and smiling mouth all
situated between elongated earlobes touching
the ridge of his neck and shoulder line. The hair
forms a definitive line, gently covering the rise of
the ushnisa surmounted by a bud-shaped finial.
The appearance of clothing is obfuscated by the
body's fluid lines, however the Buddha's
transparent garments surface on one side,
evidenced through the incised markings on the
chest and folds on the arm.
Adoration of the Buddha was often expressed
through the production of stone statuary.
Devout worshippers touched the divine images,
asking for the Buddha's protection and mercy in
prayer.
The Shan have inhabited the Shan Plateau and
other parts of modern-day Myanmar as far back
as the 1200s. They are believed to have migrated
from the mountains of Yunnan in China. The
Shan are descendants of the oldest branch of the
Tai ethnicity, known as Tai Long (Great Tai). Shan
who migrated to the south and now inhabit
modern-day Laos and Thailand are known as Tai
Noi (or Tai Nyai), while those in parts of northern
Thailand and Laos are commonly known as Tai
Noi (Little Tai - Lao spoken).
- (H.029)
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