Niche 5, 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. Its dating is uncertain. There are seven images, including one buddha, two disciples, two bodhisattvas, and two guardian deities. All their faces are heavily worn. The buddha in the middle is sitting on a blocked throne. There is an oval halo behind his back and a canopy atop his head. The edge of the canopy is decorated with webs of jewellery and pearls. Leaf motifs surround the canopy. The two disciples next to the buddha are dressed in monk's robes and have round halos. The two bodhisattvas with oval halos are adorned with necklaces and jewellery. The pair of guardian deities outside the niche are muscular, with naked torsos. The frame of the niche is decorated with floral motifs. An inscription with five names is written in the top left corner of the central wall. The date on the leftmost column cannot be made out; the inscription was likely written in the modern period. The photographs show: An overview of the niche in the front [1]. A close-up of the inscription [2]. A close-up of the inscription [3]. A close-up of the top right corner of the niche [4]. Metadata created by: Sau Ling Wendy Yu.Non UBCUnreviewedAuthor Affiliations: Ghent UniversityFacult