Shakyamuni Buddha

Tang dynasty
Shanxi Museum

Our final example from the Tang dynasty is Shakyamuni sitting in bhumisparsha (hand "touching the earth") in front of a carved and painted double mandorla. The serene face is almost mask-like, with narrow curved eye-slits and exaggerated creases at the corners of the lip. The figure's hair is arranged in a series of wave-like folds.