Buddhist Sculpture

The Painted Wooden Guanyin Statue of Liao Dynasty is a 1,000-year-old Buddhist sculpture, now housed in the Jiaxing Museum, donated by the Lengyan Temple. This 113-centimeter-tall statue was crafted from camphor wood using a combination of carving and painting techniques, with gold foil appliqués accentuating key details. The figure stands barefoot on a lotus throne, wearing a double-layered ruyi crown (originally with a Buddha image on top, now missing), with a serene expression, rounded face, and downcast eyes. The statue features a distinctive Liao Dynasty style with a robust physique, prominent breasts, and a slender waist. Its upper body is partially exposed, adorned with necklaces, ruyi pendants, and flowing ribbons that cascade elegantly around the arms and down to the feet. The left hand curves upward to the chest while the right arm hangs naturally, palm facing inward. The intricate decoration includes multiple strings of beads, wide waistbands, and layered clothing, all painted in vibrant mineral pigments—red lacquer base with green, ochre, and cinnabar accents. As one of China's few remaining large-scale Liao Dynasty wooden statues (rarely exceeding 1 meter in height), it represents the artistic fusion of Tang Dynasty realism with Khitan aesthetics, capturing the period's reverence for the Bodhisattva of Compassion while showcasing the technical brilliance of ancient Chinese Buddhist sculpture. 辽代彩绘木雕观音立像是一件千年佛教造像，现藏于嘉兴博物馆，由楞严寺捐赠。这座高 113 厘米的雕像以樟木为胎，采用雕刻与彩绘相结合的工艺，局部贴金箔点缀。观音赤足立于莲花宝座上，头戴双层如意宝相花冠（冠中原饰化佛已佚），面容圆润，双目低垂，神态安详。雕像呈现典型辽代风格，体型丰腴饱满，上身袒露，隆乳束腰，颈饰项圈，肩披如意与长帛。帛带绕肩穿肘，垂落膝前，再回绕而上，自然流畅。左手曲肘上提至胸前，右手下垂倚于腹侧。全身装饰繁复华丽，胸挂长串宝珠，腰间束宽带，下着彩裤，衣褶飘逸。彩绘以朱漆为底，施以石绿、赭石、朱砂等矿物颜料，色彩鲜艳。作为中国现存极少的大型辽代木雕（高度超 1 米的尤为珍贵），它融合了唐代写实风格与契丹审美，展现了辽代佛教艺术的独特魅力，是研究中国佛教雕塑艺术发展的重要实物资料。