The illustration of the Pure Land of the West above the right niche in the front wall in cave 5 at the Maijishan Grottoes consists of two parts: pictures of the pure land above and illustrations of donor figures below.The picture has a symmetrical composition focusing on the central Buddha.The treasure pond and treasure land are drawn in large scale,providing enough space for other motifs such as a tower,empty sky and so on.This illustration is considered to be a complete version of the illustration of the Pure Land.The treasure pond and the creek which extends from the pond to the treasure land are drawn in one scene,making this depiction quite unique.The female donor figures are arranged in two opposite groups,each group consisting of three people: a mistress and two servants.The mistresses wear flat-topped chignons and cross-collared robes with loose sleeves.By analyzing details of the Pure Land like illustrative patterns and architecture,and by examining the costumes of the donor figures,this paper comes to the conclusion that the illustration of the Pure Land in the West was painted primarily during the Sui dynasty.
