原件高100厘米，宽60厘米，厚17厘米。系元至正二十四年（公元1364年）宁波阿育王寺重建西塔时雕刻，现嵌于寺内舍利殿后壁，为四大天王雕刻中之一件。
天王左手叉腰，右手持戟，腾云驾雾，叱吒风云，神情威猛无比，震怒可怖。雕刻手法细腻、丰富、洒脱，具有浓郁的唐宋雕刻遗风。
江南留存的元代石刻并不多，除杭州飞来峰之喇嘛教、佛教造像外，余者精品寥寥，故阿育王寺之元代四大天王雕刻品亦颇引人注目。
The original figure, 100 cm in height, 60 cm in width and 17 cm in thickness, was made during the reconstruction of the West Pagoda at the Temple of King Ashoka in Ningbo in 1364 in the Yuan dynasty. It is now embedded in the back wall of the Relic Hall at the temple as one of the Four Heavenly Kings.
The statue is carved with delicate, rich and free techniques, representing the strong carving styles of the Tang and Song dynasties. It portrays a formidable and terrifying Heavenly King riding on clouds, with his left hand on his hip and right hand holding a halberd.
There are not many surviving Yuan dynasty stone carvings in regions south of the Yangtze River, apart from the Lamaist and Buddhist statues in the Feilai Peak scenic area in Hangzhou. It’s even harder to find excellent ones among the rest. Therefore, the statues of Four Heavenly Kings of Yuan dynasty at the Temple of King Ashoka are remarkable.
