A painting of Bhaisajyaguru preaching during rule of Uighur

Paintings of thousand Buddhas in the upper part and a preaching painting from early Tang in the middle.

Patterns of thousand Buddhas all over the wall.

A Nirvana Sutra inspired painting during rule of Uighur.

Lotus flame embedded chessboard patterns

At the square central pillar of the cave is a niche, the statues within or outside of which were mostly rebuilt in Qing Dynasty. On the north wall of the niche are fragments of flaming halos of Nirmana-Buddha from Western Wei, on both sides of which is painting of a disciple. The niche is flanked by Tang paintings of sitting Buddha in sun and moon, and in clouds. Below the niche are remains of original murals from Western Wei. The patterns on niche lintel are very special. They are not of the common flames from Western Wei but of the Sutra of Maitreya’s Ascension. These patterns, originating from Western Wei, resemble those of lotus worshiping Buddha’s manifestation on niche lintel of Western Wei’s Cave 288 of Mogao Caves. The Sutra of Maitreya’s Ascension is a rare theme for niche lintel patterns in Dunhuang caves. The painting portrays a peaceful Buddha’s land, with a cross-ankle Maitreya in Bodhisattva’s clothes next to two standing sermon-attending Bodhisattvas and surrounded by ten dancing Flying Apsaras who are playing the music and spreading petals. On left side of the painting is a figure making a handstand. The body of the figure is highlighted in bold colors to look exaggerated and fun. While contemporaneous works in Dunhuang caves feature earth-red under-painting, this one is also rare in that it is based on large-size dark green under-painting.

At the square central pillar of the cave is a niche, the statues within or outside of which were mostly rebuilt in Qing Dynasty. On the north wall of the niche are fragments of flaming halos of Nirmana-Buddha from Western Wei, on both sides of which is painting of a disciple. The niche is flanked by Tang paintings of sitting Buddha in sun and moon, and in clouds. Below the niche are remains of original murals from Western Wei. The patterns on niche lintel are very special. They are not of the common flames from Western Wei but of the Sutra of Maitreya’s Ascension. These patterns, originating from Western Wei, resemble those of lotus worshiping Buddha’s manifestation on niche lintel of Western Wei’s Cave 288 of Mogao Caves. The Sutra of Maitreya’s Ascension is a rare theme for niche lintel patterns in Dunhuang caves. The painting portrays a peaceful Buddha’s land, with a cross-ankle Maitreya in Bodhisattva’s clothes next to two standing sermon-attending Bodhisattvas and surrounded by ten dancing Flying Apsaras who are playing the music and spreading petals. On left side of the painting is a figure making a handstand. The body of the figure is highlighted in bold colors to look exaggerated and fun. While contemporaneous works in Dunhuang caves feature earth-red under-painting, this one is also rare in that it is based on large-size dark green under-painting.

At the square central pillar of the cave is a niche, the statues within or outside of which were mostly rebuilt in Qing Dynasty. On the north wall of the niche are fragments of flaming halos of Nirmana-Buddha from Western Wei, on both sides of which is painting of a disciple. The niche is flanked by Tang paintings of sitting Buddha in sun and moon, and in clouds. Below the niche are remains of original murals from Western Wei. The patterns on niche lintel are very special. They are not of the common flames from Western Wei but of the Sutra of Maitreya’s Ascension. These patterns, originating from Western Wei, resemble those of lotus worshiping Buddha’s manifestation on niche lintel of Western Wei’s Cave 288 of Mogao Caves. The Sutra of Maitreya’s Ascension is a rare theme for niche lintel patterns in Dunhuang caves. The painting portrays a peaceful Buddha’s land, with a cross-ankle Maitreya in Bodhisattva’s clothes next to two standing sermon-attending Bodhisattvas and surrounded by ten dancing Flying Apsaras who are playing the music and spreading petals. On left side of the painting is a figure making a handstand. The body of the figure is highlighted in bold colors to look exaggerated and fun. While contemporaneous works in Dunhuang caves feature earth-red under-painting, this one is also rare in that it is based on large-size dark green under-painting.

At the square central pillar of the cave is a niche, the statues within or outside of which were mostly rebuilt in Qing Dynasty. On the north wall of the niche are fragments of flaming halos of Nirmana-Buddha from Western Wei, on both sides of which is painting of a disciple. The niche is flanked by Tang paintings of sitting Buddha in sun and moon, and in clouds. Below the niche are remains of original murals from Western Wei. The patterns on niche lintel are very special. They are not of the common flames from Western Wei but of the Sutra of Maitreya’s Ascension. These patterns, originating from Western Wei, resemble those of lotus worshiping Buddha’s manifestation on niche lintel of Western Wei’s Cave 288 of Mogao Caves. The Sutra of Maitreya’s Ascension is a rare theme for niche lintel patterns in Dunhuang caves. The painting portrays a peaceful Buddha’s land, with a cross-ankle Maitreya in Bodhisattva’s clothes next to two standing sermon-attending Bodhisattvas and surrounded by ten dancing Flying Apsaras who are playing the music and spreading petals. On left side of the painting is a figure making a handstand. The body of the figure is highlighted in bold colors to look exaggerated and fun. While contemporaneous works in Dunhuang caves feature earth-red under-painting, this one is also rare in that it is based on large-size dark green under-painting.