Statue of Girl Raising Chicken

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Statue of Girl Raising Chicken is located in Cliff No.20 of Dazu Grottoes, which represents the highest level of scripture carving of the Southern Song Dynasty. Adapted from a sentence “all people raising chicken should go to hell” in Buddhism classic Portrait of Hell , this artwork shows a female farmer lifts chick cage to free the raised chicken, which is in realistic style. Two freed chicken go out from the cage and grapple for an earthworm, and the other chick looks outwards from the cage. Girl raising chicken features plump body, plain facial expression and rural clothes. Lenience and kindness of this girl are accurately conveyed.

According to the legend, Zhao Zhifeng, a local leader of Esoteric Buddhism, took charge of scripture carving of Dazu Grottoes. There is a rural girl running a restaurant nearby the construction site. She raised chicken. Ingenious girl cooked well, and the stonemasons of construction site violated dommandment, and often drank wine and ate chicken. Zhao Zhifeng was dissatisfied, and often tried to persuade the girl to free chicken. But the girl refused to do so. One day, some chicken flfl ied into Buddhist hall and disturbed the quiet place. Zhao Zhifeng quarreled with the girl. With raging anger, Zhao Zhifeng decided to make this girl carved in stonework Portrait of Hell to warn later generation. However, stonemasons felt grateful for the girl. In their creation, the girl was kind, beautiful and moving rather than look guilty.

Head

Girl Raising Chicken combs clean and simple bun. There is a flower tied on the head. There is refined jewelry on earlobe, which reveals the girl’s pursuit for beauty. Broad forehead seems to contain wisdom. Eyebrows look like crescent. She smiles movingly, and squints a little to look forwards. The double eye is beautiful. The eyeballs seem to rotate. Nosewing is raised slightly due to the joy. The girl looks tender with upward corners of the mouth. She takes plain and optimistic facial expression, who looks forward to the happy life.

Dazu Stone Carving

Dazu Stone Carving is located in Dazu County, Sichuan. Among 6,000 statues of Longgang Mountain in the north seat of Dazu County, statues of the Song Dynasty enjoy the largest quantity and the highest level. They feature concise craftsmanship and strong secular atmosphere. Stone carvings consist of three group statues in Dhammadhatu, inner compound and outer compound, which are on the top of Xiang Mountain in the northeast. Statue of Nirvana of Sakyamuni, Statue of great debt of gratitude for parents, Statue of Portrait of Hell and Statue of ox-herding ashram are the main artworks among them.

Sutra illustrations and scripture carvings

Sutra illustrations refer to the sutra preaching in form of plastic arts. Scripture carvings refer to the sutra preaching in form of sculptures. Both are unique artistic styles of the Chinese Buddhism art.