The murals preserved in Baofan Temple of Pengxi County is dated back to the first year of Emperor Jingtai’s( 景泰 ) reign (circa 1450), which stand out excellent among the temple murals of the Ming Dynasty. They mainly include the images of the sixteen arhats which are depicted on the basis of Fazhu-sutra (Fa Zhu Ji) following the pattern by Guan Xiu who was born in the Shu State of the Five Dynasties, also taking elements from the arhat figures found in the northern central China, so as to form an unique style of their own by being secularized, realistic and decorative. The composition of the murals surpasses the traditional mode but refers to the spatial techniques of the Shuilu painting, creating a free and variant effect that implies the harmony between man and universe. The artistic expression of the murals goes against the standardized styles of the temple mural painting. In this sense, they contribute noticeable clues to examine the relationship between arhat belief and Zen thoughts.
