Fragment of a Lion

Limestone/ Excavated from the area beneath the Binyangdong Caves,
Tang dynasty/ H. 61.8 cm/ Longmen Caves Research Institute
This fragment of a lion was excavated from the area beneath the Binyandong Caves in 1991. The neck of the lion is twisted to the left and it is thought that the lion was originally sitting with its front legs straight, though the lower halves of the forelegs and the body area from chest to tail are missing. The eyes of the lion are fearsome and its teeth are visible in its partially opened mouth. There is a sense of calm realism in the depiction of the lion's brawny chest musculature. This work is thought to have been created around the end of the 7th century as the style of this lion is similar to lions in the Shizidong Cave.