Ancient nudes bared at Buddhist mural exhibition in Xi'an
By Globaltimes.cn, Published: 2015-05-13 17:51:11
Pictured is a mural fragment of a naked celestial performer dating back to 2nd-3rd century at the Shaanxi History Museum in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province on May 6. The exhibition, which runs through July 4, features a total of 51 fragments and other objects unearthed at the Damago Buddhist Site in Qira county of Hotan, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region since 2002. The murals reflect cultural elements from Gandhara Buddhist art, which was influenced by Greek and Indian styles, the Oriental Morning Post reported in 2014. Photo: Li Ying/GT
Editor's Note:
The mural exhibition, which runs through July 4 at the Shaanxi History Museum in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, features a total of 51 fragments and other objects unearthed at the Damago Buddhist Site in Qira county of Hotan, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region since 2002.
Pictured is a mural fragment of a celestial performer dating back to 2nd-3rd century. Most items on display date back between the 7th and 9th centuries, with some as early as to the 2nd century. These fragments have hardly aged since they were unearthed 10 years ago, Wu Xinhua, head of the Xinjiang detachment of China's Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told thepaper.cn in 2014. Wu attributes this to the paint used and the dry climate. Photo: Li Ying/GT
Pictured is a mural fragment of a celestial performer dating back to 2nd-3rd century. The exhibition of Buddhist art was also held in Shanghai at the end of 2014. The specimens provide insight into the art from the Kingdom of Khotan (present day Hotan), an ancient Buddhist kingdom that connected China and the West. Photo: Li Ying/GT 
Pictured is a mural fragment of a celestial performer dating back to 2nd-3rd century. Photo: Li Ying/GT 
A mural fragment of a celestial performer dating back to 2nd-3rd century Photo: Li Ying/GT
A mural fragment of Buddhist art dating from the 8th century Photo: Li Ying/GT 
A clay mural fragment showing the face of a Bodhisattva, dating back to the 8th century Photo: Li Ying/GT 
Pictured are the remains of an Buddhist image. Photo: Li Ying/GT 
Mural fragment of Yaksa Samjneya Photo: Li Ying/GT 
Buddha icons Photo: Li Ying/GT 
An image of the Avalokitesvara (or Guanyin), a Buddhist deity of mercy in East Asia. Photo: Li Ying/GT
A clay Buddha head Photo: Li Ying/GT 
A three-stringed pipa, a traditional Chinese musical instrument Photo: Li Ying/GT