There is a group of five hundred Arhats sculptures at Feilaifeng Cliffside in Hangzhou. Although the Arhat sculptures of Northern Song Dynasty have often been mentioned in the previous discussions of Feilaifeng Cliffside, whom are they referred to has never been identified. By comparing them with other cases, the author argues that they should be a part of unfinished group sculpture of five hundred Arhats and also are the best-preserved sculptures among the similar cases in China. This paper discusses the issues concerning five hundred Arhats, such as their origins, religious responsibilities, and names, in order to ascertain the way in which Indian Arhats were expressed and accepted in Chinese culture.
