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Portraits of 500 Arhats: 辛 – Xin, 8th Heavenly Stem
Ink on paper, 39 x 1,820 cm, after Wang Fangyue, 1757
National Library of China, Beijing
 

 

A gathering of arhats occupies a secluded setting framed by winding paths and clustered trees. Scattered in small groups, they sit or stand in conversation, prayer, or contemplation. Several arhats appear in motion, ascending or descending pathways, while others are seated cross-legged, focused inward. Some hold ritual staffs or scrolls, while others gesture toward their companions or raise their hands in prayer. Some figures turn toward each other as if in discussion, while others remain withdrawn, absorbed in meditation. The air of solemnity and spiritual concentration suggests that these enlightened beings are preparing for their departure from the world, approaching Nirvana—the complete liberation from suffering and the cycle of rebirth.