Author：Fantastic China | 2025-03-04 | Views：14
Northern Wei (386-535). Mural painting of Cave 249, Mogao Caves, Dunhuang, Gansu Province
On the inclined slope facing the entrance of the cave, a powerful four-eyed, four-armed deity is depicted, holding the sun and the moon. Although this image may have originated from Indian mythology, its decorative style is rich in Chinese characteristics. On both sides of the deity, two dragons are painted, appearing together with the sun and the moon in the same composition. The other mural paintings on the cave walls also feature traditional Chinese subjects, such as hunting scenes, mystical mountains, and the figures of gods associated with thunder, lightning and storms. The smooth lines on the cave ceiling and the solemn expressions of the divine figures on the walls create a striking contrast.
This piece is compiled from the Chinese edition of Three Thousand Years of Chinese Painting by Foreign Languages Press and Yale University Press, translated by Chen Ying.
