Statue of Amitabha

Eastern Wei, 544 AD
Simen Ta, Jinan

The pagoda has a square central pillar, symbolizing the world-axis; around this, and facing outward through the doors to the four cardinal directions, are the directional buddhas Amitabha (Amitayus, West), Amoghasiddhi (North), Akshobhya (East), and Ratnasambhava (South). Shown here is Amitabha, facing west.