English: A very rare double-headed Buddha statue at Southern Cliff Buddhist Caves in Bazhong, Sichuan; 8th century. "Three Buddhas are displayed in Niche 83. The central image is a seated, double-headed Buddha shown performing the bhūmisparśa mudrā, but in reverse: his left hand, instead of his right, touches the ground. The two attending Buddhas, both shown standing, are also peculiar. One is pointing with one hand to the sky, the other keeps both hands at chest level and does not perform a gesture. All three are given fiery haloes, the central Buddha an additional fiery aureole. Their garments are rather unorthodox, namely the scalloped capelet worn by the central image, and the outer robe worn by the lateral Buddhas. Perhaps in this niche were gathered three of a series of famous images from sacred places in India, which are represented in painting at Dunhuang. These are very rare sculptural interpretations of the famous Indian images." – Howard, Angela Falco (1988). "Tang Buddhist Sculpture of Sichuan: Unknown and Forgotten" in Bulletin of the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, Stockholm (No. 60).