Seated Buddha Shakyamuni

Seated and dressed in a long, flowing, Chinese-style robe, this image represents the historical Buddha Shakyamuni. He manifests the physical attributes of the Buddha, including elongated earlobes, snail-curl hair, cranial bump (ushnisha), and a distinctive mark between his eyes (urna). He also displays the gesture of preaching with his right hand and the vow-fulfilling gesture with his left. The gleaming surface of the gilded bronze was intended to symbolize the sun-like radiance of the Buddha’s body. On the back is a rare four-character inscription—“made in the yi chou year” (yi chou sui zao)—enabling us to ascribe this Buddha to either 965 or 1025.