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26 January 2026

The Artistic Characteristics of the Seated Buddha Statue on the Main Wall of the Sixth Grotto of Bingling Temple

Jiuzhou Li1,2 Zhengjun Li3
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1 Lanzhou Resources & Environment Voc-Tech University, Lanzhou 730021, Gansu, China
2 Graduate School of Language and Culture, Graduate University of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar 14200, Mongolia
3 Gansu Education of Evaluation Center, Lanzhou 730030, Gansu, China
LNE 2026 , 4(1), 98–102; https://doi.org/10.18063/LNE.v4i1.1253
© 2026 by the Author. Licensee Whioce Publishing, Singapore. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
Abstract

This paper examines the artistic characteristics of the seated Buddha statue on the main wall of the sixth grotto of the Bingling Temple Grottoes in Yongjing County, Gansu Province, which was created during the Northern Zhou period (557–581). As a significant Buddhist site located along the Silk Road, the sculptures and murals of the Bingling Temple Grottoes illustrate the stylistic evolution of Buddhist art across different historical periods. This paper presents a detailed analysis of the artistic style and carving techniques employed in the creation of the seated Buddha statue in Cave 6. The facial features, hairstyle, robe folds, gestural handprints, and backlight decoration of the statue are meticulously examined in order to gain insights into the artistic techniques used during the Northern Zhou period (557–581). The analysis of these artistic features posits the significant role of this seated Buddha in the Buddhist art of the Northern Zhou Dynasty and elucidates its function in the cultural exchange of the Silk Road. It offers a crucial lens through which to comprehend the artistic style of the Northern Zhou period. This research aspires to contribute to the understanding of Northern Zhou Buddhist art and its place in Chinese art history.

Keywords
Bingling temple
Grotto
Seated Buddha statue
Artistic characteristics
References

[1] Bingling Temple Cultural Relics Protection Institute (Gansu Bingling Temple Cultural Relics Protection Institute), 2006, Bingling Temple Grottoes Art (Binglingsi Shiku Yishu). Gansu People’s Fine Arts Publishing House, Gansu.
[2] Du C, 2017, Gansu Bingling Temple Grottoes Art. World Religious Cultures, 2017(3): F0002–F0003.
[3] Wang YJ, 2020, A Comparative Study on the Art of Gandhara and Mathura Statuary. Zhongyuan Cultural Relics, 2020(2): 107–115.
[4] Jin JR, 2016, A Brief Discussion on the Backlight of Buddhist Statues in the Wei, Jin, Northern and Southern Dynasties. Yishu Baijia (Art Hundred Schools), 2016(4): 188–196 + 236.

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