Mogao Cave 220

Mogao Cave 220 was built in early Tang Dynasty(618-704AD). The original well-preserved Early Tang murals in this cave were revealed after the surface layer of the Song murals were removed in 1943. According to votive inscriptions, it was constructed by powerful family Zhai in Dunhuang in the Zhenguan 16th year of Early Tang (642). Zhai Fengda, an offspring of the tenth generation of Zhai family, reconstructed the corridor and added a new-styled scene of Manjusri on the north wall of the corridor in the Tongguang 3rd year (925) of the Five Dynasties.
The cave has a truncated pyramidal ceiling and a niche in the west wall with a five-figure group. Though heavily restored in later generations, the sculptures of Kasyapa and Ananda and the lower body of the Bodhisattvas are left intact. The true-to-life painting style and proficient sculpturing technique make them the standard examples for studying the sculptures of the Tang dynasty. The whole south wall is covered with the illustration of the Amitabha Sutra in the precious pond with blue ripples, the central Amitabha is seated in paryankabandha gesture with two hands in dharmacakra mudra, and flanked Avalokitesvara and Mahasthamaprapta. In the pond below are children playing with the water. Some Bodhisattvas are leaning over the guard-rails in various gestures and looking very interesting. In addition, there are seven standing Buddhas in the center of the illustration of the Bhaisajyaguru--sutra on the north wall. They hold prayer beads or bowls for medicine and stand barefoot on lotus bases. Below them are dancing and music scenes. In the center are two groups of dancers twirling on circular fringed carpets, one group in white and the other in brocade. This should be the Huxuan dance introduced from the Western Regions. On two sides of the dancing scene are two orchestras of different complexion with different music instruments. One of them is tossing a plate into the sky and singing at the same time. Between the orchestra and group of dancers, two Bodhisattvas are lighting the lamps, which lend more splendor to the grand and solemn Pure Land of Bhaisajyaguru.
The east wall is divided into two short sections, one on either side of the entrance. Here Manjusri Rndhisattva and Vimalakirti are seen, one in each section, in the famous debate from the Vimalakirti-sutra. Beneath is the audience including the kings of different complexions, costumes and appearances, most of them are from the Western Region kingdoms. Below Manjusri are Chinese Emperor accompanied by a solemn group of officials. The pose of the imperial figure, in particular, can be compared with its counterparts in the famous painting of the Portraits of the Past Emperors by the Tang court painter Yan Liben, and is superior to that in description of the figures and color application, and it is some thirty years earlier than the latter.