Close encounter with the Losana Buddha

Updated: 2015-08-18

On visiting Longmen Grottoes, people often tend to marvel at the wisdom and persistence of ancient people.

The entire project, which includes thousands of niches and caves and around 100,000 life-size statues, would have been impossible without the superlative craftsmanship and their impregnable belief.

Situated along the bank of Yihe River, every statue in the Fengxian Temple, Guyang Cave, Lotus Cave, or Wanfo Cave, is about endless passion and recounts the youth and life of the craftsmen.

The "Grand Losana Buddha Niche" in Fengxian Temple is the largest cliff-niche in Longmen Grottoes, which is known for its large scale spectacular vigor, delicate statues and highly-skilled craftsmanship. It is also the most representative work of Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907)'s contribution to the Longmen's carvings.

The overall layout of the "Grand Losana Buddha Niche" at Fengxian Temple, Longmen Grottoes

Losana, the Buddha worshipped by believers of Huayan School of Buddhism, is named "Vairocana", which means shining light. The total height of the main statue "Grand Losana" is 17.14 meters, with its head 4 meters high and its ear 1.90 meters long.

The Buddha in this work wears a kasaya, has a plump face, wide forehead and chubby cheeks, eye-brows that resemble a crescent moon. It has bright and piercing eyes that are looking down, a faint smile, long earlobes and simple lines that define the folds of the garments.

His appearance is "good-looking and unique, incomparable, merciful and benevolent, like the sun and the moon". The entire view gives an impression of elegance, solemnity, quietness, loftiness and kindness to this statue of Buddha.

Looking up at the Losana Buddha, the visitors suddenly grow quiet and all the noise around no more matters as a sense of calmness and serenity engulfs them.

A close-up view of the Losana Buddha