Painted Clay Statues of Arhats

Zijing An's Painted Clay Arhats are 800-year-old sculptures from the Southern Song to Ming Dynasty, now housed in Zijing An, Suzhou. There are 18 figures: 16 Arhats and 2 attendants, each around 1.5 meters tall. They have lifelike postures—some meditating, some gesturing, with detailed facial expressions and natural clothing folds. Made with painted clay, their colors (mineral pigments with gold foil) are still vivid today. Created via the "Zhuangluan" technique (layering pigments and gold), they remain well-preserved, a rarity in ancient painted sculptures. They represent the peak of Jiangnan's painted sculpture art, showing how Buddhist art blended with Chinese craft. These sculptures carry the aesthetic and religious spirit of ancient artisans, being a key piece for studying Southern Song-Ming religious art and craft. 紫金庵罗汉塑像是一组有 800 年历史的彩塑，年代跨度南宋至明，现藏于苏州紫金庵。共有 18 尊塑像，包括 16 尊罗汉和 2 尊侍者，每尊高约 1.5 米。塑像姿态逼真，或打坐或手势各异，面部表情细腻，衣褶自然流畅。以彩绘泥塑制成，采用 “装銮” 工艺（矿物颜料搭配金箔），至今色彩鲜艳。这种工艺现代难以复刻，是江南彩塑艺术的巅峰之作，体现了佛教艺术与中国工艺的融合。这些塑像承载着古代工匠的审美与宗教精神，是研究南宋至明宗教艺术和工艺的关键实物。 3D scene captured by Insta360 X5 and iPhone 14 Pro Video