Buddhist stele

This stele reflects a period when Buddhism had just begun to develop a uniquely Chinese form. The top front register, framed by two dragons, illustrates a debate between Vimalakirti, a wealthy layman, and Manjushri, the bodhisattva of wisdom. Their encounter resonated with Chinese Buddhists because it demonstrated how a person could participate in a discussion of Buddhist doctrine on equal terms with a bodhisattva—a perfected, enlightened being. It reassured people that it was possible to honor Buddhist spiritual values but also pursue financial stability and take care of one’s family—an obligation embedded in Confucianism, China’s native state philosophy. The stele also includes images of Shakyamuni’s disciples, monks, and important bodhisattvas. The theme of rebirth in a Buddhist paradise is represented by four reborn souls emerging from the lotus blossoms on the canopy above the main image.

In many Buddhist traditions it is believed that making images of the Buddha is an act of merit for both artist and patron. In China, groups of lay Buddhists often pooled their resources to commission large stone plaques shown as steles. A group of donors from Taiping county (modern Shanxi province) collaborated to produce this stele. Their names are incised in registers on its underside and sides, and a register of eight particularly prominent donors appears on the front along with simple portraits. The inscription also contains the date, 549.