This cave was constructed in the later period when Guazhou was ruled by the Western Xia. With the diversified contents and art of both exotic and esoteric Buddhism
supported respectively by Chinese and the Tibetans
it is a most representative cave with the most matured and unique art. The cave is rectangular in plan with a dome ceiling. In the central back is an octangular altar with three steps on which stand a few statues of the Qing dynasty. The lower parts of the four walls are platforms of double steps built in the Qing dynasty
on which stand the statues of eighteen arhats. The ceiling is covered with a Mandala: in the center are five Buddhas of five directions. The middle part of the east wall is used for depicting Buddha's life stories
and on the two sides are a mandala of fifty-one headed thousand-armed and thousand-eyed Avalokitesvara of exotic Buddhism
a garbhadhatu-mandala of the esoteric Buddhism
and an illustration of the Sutra on Deva's Questions of exotic Buddhism. On the south wall
starting from the east
are a mandala
the Amitayus sutra illustration and a mandala. The north wall is in the same composition: a mandala
a pure land illustration and a mandala. On the space above the entrance in the west wall is a Vimalakirti sutra illustration
and the both sides of the entrance are respectively used for the illustrations of Manjusri and Samantabhadra. The north and south walls of the corridor are occupied by donor figures.
The main chamber is square in plan with a central altar
and the front chamber is rectangular in plan. Both are connected by a long corridor. In the Maitreya sutra illustration in this cave
there is an inscription in ancient Tibetan and an image of a wedding ceremony of a Tibetan man with a Chinese woman
from which it can be determined that it was constructed in the period when Guazhou was occupied by the Tibetans and Shazhou was not yet
namely from the 11th year of Dali era (776) to the second year of Jianzhong (781). Part of the ceiling of the main chamber has collapsed
and the front chamber was renovated in the Five Dynasties. The original paintings are well preserved. On the east wall is a Mandala of Eight Bodhisattvas
on the south wall is an Amitayus sutra illustration
and on the north wall is a Maitreya sutra illustration. On both sides of the illustration are single images of Avalokitesvara
Mahasthamaprapdta and Kistigabha bodhisattvas. On the two sides of the entrance in the west wall are illustrations of Manjusri and Samantabhadra. In the front chamber
the south side and north side of the east wall respectively depict Vidudabha and Vaisravana
who protect the paradise of Buddhism.
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