Northern Wei (386-535). Mural painting of Cave 249, Mogao Caves, Dunhuang, Gansu Province

During the Northern Dynasties, Indian and Central Asian themes, as well as Chinese subjects and styles, often converged in a unique way within the same cave. This artistic fusion is prominently reflected in Cave 249, which was built around the end of the Northern Wei Dynasty. Large rectangular compositions are painted on the walls, with a frontal Buddha statue at the center, flanked by bodhisattvas and flying celestial beings. The Buddha statue is depicted with rough contour lines and heavy shading, resembling a bronze or stone sculpture. Many small Buddha statues, commonly called "thousand Buddhas," are painted around the central Buddha. Above the thousand Buddhas, there are painted niches portraying celestial musicians playing various instruments. Similar content and style of murals can also be found in caves in Central Asia and Xinjiang, China.

This piece is compiled from the Chinese edition of Three Thousand Years of Chinese Painting by Foreign Languages Press and Yale University Press, translated by Chen Ying.