Fragment of a Buddhist Sculpture with Colored Paint and Applied Gold

Late Northern Wei to Eastern Wei Dynasty (494 - 550)

Only four flying celestial beings ("feitien" in Chinese) remain on this piece. Two of them hold a tower high up with their hands. On the right side below them are two musical feitiens, one playing a kunghou (a kind of ancient musical instrument with 23 strings), and the other playing a sheng (a kind of panpipe with 13 reeds). The bodies of these four feitiens are twisted into S-shapes, which are unusual but lively.



back