Pindola Bharadvaja, the First Venerable Luohan

The subject of this painting, Pindola Bharadvaja (Binduluo Boluoduoshe), was one of the Buddha's main disciples. He was a vigouous exponent of the Buddhist Law (dharma), and has manifested himself on several occasions to pious Chinese believers. Pindola has a voice like a lion's roar, and is often depicted with extraordinarily long eyebrows, a physical attribute for which he is sometimes named Changmai seng.  Pindola was one of the first arhats to be depicted in China, and is the only luohan afforded special worship. He is said to dwell with eleven-hundred luohan protogees in the Western Continent of Apara-godaniya (Xi Qutuoni zhou).

In this portrait, Pindola is seated below banana leaves and lichen-studded rocks in a chair made of gnarled branches, one of which is shaped like a dragon. He holds an elaborate, long-handled incense burner in his left hand, and a white rosary is wrapped around his left forearm. He has a dignified, but stern, countenance with a prominent nose and jutting chin, which is covered with the stubble of a white beard. He has long white eyebrows and white hair that is streaked with gold. The patches of his robe are decorated with interlocking circles of white dots, while darker strips of fabric bear the repeated symbol of the Wheel of the Law. The folds of his robes, his rumpled leggings, and his sandals of woven straw are rendered with particular attention and skill.


To learn more about this and similar objects, visit http://www.asia.si.edu/SongYuan/default.asp Song and Yuan Dynasty Painting and Calligraphy.