Rubbing

The Buddha from Tomb M1 of Mahao, Leshan. This depiction of the Buddha found on the lintel above a doorway in Mahao M1 is one of the earliest examples of Buddhist iconography found in China. He is seated with his legs crossed, his left hand clutches his robe while his right hand makes the abhaya mudra gesture. Behind his head, there is a halo, and a protuberance at the crown of the head can also be distinguished. The early appearance of this depiction in the cliff tombs of Sichuan attests to the position of Sichuan as a crossroads for people moving from central and south Asia into China as early as the Han dynasty. Black ink on rice paper. From Han tomb reliefs.