Buddha and two attendants stele,

535 CE

The upper part of this stele presents a symmetrical trio of figures in a hierarchical arrangement. In the center sits a buddha, flanked by two smaller attendants. Depicted in meditation, the buddha’s visage, with eyes closed and lips bending into smile, is calm and welcoming. The figure sits with hands clasped under a circular lotus halo and backed by a flaming mandorla, which together signify the figure’s religious perfection and enlightenment. The lower part of the stele, partially covered by the buddha’s trailing garment, carries an inscription dated, “The second year of the Tianping era” of the Eastern Wei dynasty (534–550), which corresponds to 535 in the Western calendar. The stele inscription, which is written in calligraphy that combines elements of clerical script and the newer regular script, records the names of the donors who intended to accrue religious merit by commissioning the stele.