Netizens want to exchange a silk banner for the Longmen Grottoes Buddha head at Sotheby's; what should be written on the banner?
At Sotheby's 2018 autumn auction in New York, a Tang Dynasty Buddha head attracted widespread attention among Chinese people. The Buddha head is majestic and solemn, looking very much like the lost Buddha head from Cave 1720 of the Longmen Grottoes. Sensing trouble, Sotheby's auction house removed the Buddha head from the auction list on September 7.
Observant netizen discovers suspected "Longmen Grottoes Buddha head"
The first to discover that the Buddha head at Sotheby's auction was suspected to be the "Longmen Grottoes Buddha head" was netizen Yang Xin. After Yang Xin told netizens in the circle about the news, everyone showed great interest in this Buddha head.
To verify this matter, Yang Xin asked a classmate in Luoyang to take on-site photos of Cave 1720. The on-site photos were basically consistent with the Buddha statue in the old photos, but indeed there was no Buddha head; Yang Xin then found a photo of the great Buddha of Longmen Cave 1720 taken in the early 20th century for comparison, and found a high degree of match, so the Buddha head at Sotheby's 2018 autumn auction is very likely the lost Buddha head from Cave 1720 of the Longmen Grottoes!
The auction was mysteriously cancelled, and any reply was refused
Just when netizens showed great interest in the Buddha head, Sotheby's quietly took the Buddha head down and cancelled the auction. Of the 18 lots in the auction, only lot No. 5, the Buddha head, was missing. According to Sotheby's Hong Kong office, regarding netizens' questions, a reply could only be given after reporting to the head office. In addition, everyone also communicated with Sotheby's through email and website messages, but Sotheby's did not give any reply.
Five major pieces of evidence regarding the Longmen Grottoes Buddha head
1, Tang Dynasty characteristics
In appearance, the Buddha head auctioned this time belongs to the typical Tang Dynasty style: a solemn and serious face, imposing brows, and tightly closed lips revealing majesty and bearing. Netizens who have visited the Longmen Grottoes all have the same feeling.
2, The same dimensions
According to Sotheby's auction house, the height of the Buddha head is 70 cm; and the height of the great Buddha head in Cave 1720 is also 70 cm.
3, Break marks left when it was stolen
On the lost Buddha head from Cave 1720, the break mark at the neck has more on the left side and less on the right side; and the Buddha head auctioned by Sotheby's this time also clearly shows that the break mark at the neck has more on the left side and less on the right side.
4, The same stone material
According to on-site investigation by experienced netizens, the Buddha head auctioned by Sotheby's is consistent with the stone material of Cave 1720 of the Luoyang Longmen Grottoes, being the same kind of bluish stone.
5, Consistent details
Compared with the old photos from the same angle, it can be found that: the number and arrangement of the spiral hair coils are consistent; the structure of the brow arch, the white pit at the tip of the nose, and the depression on the right side of the chin, etc., are present in both; the broken section of the left earlobe, although viewed from two different angles, looking up and looking straight, also matches highly.
In response to Sotheby's auction house's unethical behavior, many netizens left comments one after another, wanting to use a silk banner to exchange for the "Longmen Grottoes Buddha head" lost for many years, but they do not know what should be written on the silk banner?