Longmen Grottoes-Vairocana Buddha

Longmen Grottoes - Vairocana Buddha
The Vairocana Buddha is one of the representative figures of the Longmen Grottoes, located in the Fengxian Temple scenic area within the Longmen Grottoes. It is the largest and most artistically refined group of cliff-carved sculptures in the Longmen Grottoes, commonly known as "Fengxian Temple" because it belonged to the imperial temple Fengxian Temple at that time. This grotto was excavated in the early years of Emperor Gaozong of Tang. In the third year of Xianheng (672 AD), Empress Wu Zetian sponsored 20,000 guan for cosmetics, and the project was completed in the second year of Shangyuan (675 AD). It is over 30 meters long and wide. The Buddha statues in the cave clearly embody the characteristics of Tang Dynasty Buddhist art: full faces, pendulous ears, and a complete, serene, gentle, and amiable demeanor, which is extremely moving. The inscription on the north side of the main Buddha's lotus seat calls it the "Great Vairocana Grotto". There are nine grand statues here, with the central main Buddha being the Vairocana Buddha, who is the Sambhogakaya (Enjoyment Body) of Sakyamuni Buddha. According to Buddhist scriptures, Vairocana means 'illuminating everywhere' or 'all-pervading light'. This Buddha statue stands 17.14 meters tall, with a head height of 4 meters and ears 1.9 meters long. The Buddha's face is full and round, with wavy hair on the head, eyebrows curved like a new moon, delicate eyes gazing gently downwards. The nose bridge is high and straight, and the small mouth reveals a peaceful smile. The ears are long and slightly drooping, and the chin is round and slightly protruding forward. Harmonious and at ease, dressed in a covering robe, with simple, unadorned drapery. The concentric circular patterns of the robes make the head exceptionally vivid and sacred. The entire Buddha statue resembles a wise and benevolent middle-aged woman, inspiring reverence without fear. Some commentators suggest that in sculpting this Buddha, noble sentiments, rich emotions, broad-mindedness, and elegant appearance were perfectly combined, thus giving her immense artistic charm.
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20260624: As requested by netizens, a version without the base has been added for everyone to use