Niche 16, Qianfo zhai (千佛寨)

This niche is located in Qianfo zhai 千佛寨, Anyue xian 安岳縣, Sichuan sheng 四川省. It contains a main shrine in the middle and two small shrines in the right side wall. All of the images are badly eroded. In the main shrine are one buddha, two bodhisattvas, and two unidentified figures. There are also two guardian deities on the outer frame of the main shrine. The frame of the main shrine is decorated with floral motifs. On the right side wall are two small shrines. The upper shrine has an unidentified standing image while the lower shrine contains three unidentified images, of which the middle one is in a sitting posture. The dating of the niche is uncertain. However, the floral motif on the outer frame of the main shrine is a common pattern adopted in the Tang Dynasty. Inscriptions are found in the top left corner of the main shrine (see Inscription G indicated in the diagram). The following characters are readable '善士楊天富楊氏...發心修補千佛岩...像數尊...道光甲申年十二月廿二日...' According to the inscriptions, donors with the surname Yang sponsored the repair of certain statues of Qianfo Yan in the jiashen 甲申 year of the Daoguang 道光 reign (1824 CE). The photographs show: An overview of the complex from the left angle [1]. A diagram indicating the location of niches and the inscriptions (created by Sau Ling Wendy Yu) [2]. A close-up of the inscriptions on the upper left corner of the niche [3]. A close-up of the inscriptions on the upper left corner of the niche [4]. A close-up of the inscriptions on the upper left corner of the niche [5]. A close-up of two small shrines on the right sidewall [6]. Metadata created by: Sau Ling Wendy Yu.Non UBCUnreviewedAuthor Affiliations: Ghent UniversityFacult