Stone carving in China dates as far back as the first century C.E. Some scholars assert that stele carving in China was introduced with Buddhism. Even before its adaptation into Buddhist tradition, the use of stele was incorporated into significant monuments in China. Focusing on funerary and commemorative intent, stone tablets were created for honorariums and events. Placed in public spaces, the stone slabs were emblematic of community identity. Many feature inscriptions that preserve literary and philosophical works – a technique contrasting with Buddhist tradition, which involves more visual carvings. 

Carved from sandy gray limestone, the stele measures thirty-nine by about fifty-six inches in width and height. The stele is free-standing and decorated on both sides, indicating that it may have been initially positioned for devotees to circumambulate clockwise. Limestone sculptures were used in worship and teaching, with many being found in shrines or temples.  Its front features a seated, frontal Buddha flanked by two princely-attired bodhisattvas carved in high relief. The etchings on the Buddha’s face reveal methodical care. The triad projects outward from the stone, sculpted with three-dimensional detail. Sakyamuni is depicted as reaching his right hand downward. This gesture, classified as the Buddha “calling the earth to witness,” is interpreted as a signal for his point of enlightenment. Placed at the medial axis of the stone slab, the primary figure of the Buddha Sakyamuni, his garments were carved with lines of calligraphic rhythm. Through its “zig-zag” patterning, the technique generates a billowing effect to the ends of the figure. 

Sakyamuni’s eyes are composed of pink clay coated with fragments of dark varnished pottery designed as his irises. At one point, the stele may have stood on a pedestal containing an inscription. Overall, the piece serves as a visual reflection of the artistic trends of the Northern Wei dynasty, as seen in the elongated forms and linear aesthetic. Originally brightly painted, it is now seen with faded traces of color. Muted reds and oranges still visible in the cascading flames of the main images must have been striking before the ravages of time. Aside from what remains of a general pink tone, it is difficult to imagine the bright colors of its original state. 

In contrast to the structured, high relief of the front images, a lively collage of narrative scenes surrounds a standing Buddha triad on the back. These scenes, carved in low relief, portray the Buddha Shakyamuni's life and his past lives (jataka tales). 

Avery Nientimp, Class of 2027, College of the Holy Cross