Mogao Cave 268

Mogao Cave 268 was built in Northern Liang (420--439CE). This cave has an oblong main hall in plan and a flat ceiling with latemendecke motifs in relief. An arched niche in the west wall are flanked by painted worshipping Bodhisattvas and apsarasas. The border of the niche is decorated with motifs of flames, lintel and Ionian pillars. In the niche is a seated cross-ankled Buddha in red robe with right shoulder exposed, which is 0. 76 meter high. Below the niche are donor figures. The female donors are in Chinese cross-collared long skirt, whose costumes and postures are similar to those in cave 169 at the Binglinsi Grottoes constructed in the Jianhong 1st year (420) during Western Qin and those on the stone pagodas excavated around Dunhuang area. Each sidewall has two small rectangle cells. This cave with attached small cells is also called Vihara cave, where monks practice meditation, which is influenced by Indian and Western Region Buddhism. According to the architecture form and mural contents, this cave can be traced back to Northern Liang during the Sixteen Kingdoms period, about 430.