Millennium-old Buddhist sculpture continues to captivate viewers

The Backward-Seated Guanyin sculpture at Longxing Temple in Zhengding county, Hebei province, May 3, 2026. [Photo by Gong Yingchun/China.org.cn]

During the recent May Day holiday, travelers from around the world visited Longxing Temple in Zhengding, Hebei province, to view the renowned Backward-Seated Guanyin sculpture. As one of the most celebrated masterpieces of Chinese Buddhist art, it is famed for its unconventional "backward" orientation, facing visitors rather than the central altar. Seated in a relaxed pose against a backdrop of intricate mountain grottoes, the sculpture dates back to the Song dynasty (960-1279), while the present figure was extensively and faithfully restored during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). Today, it remains an important cultural treasure, blending sacred tradition with timeless artistic elegance.