National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

482 THE ETSIN-GOL DELTA AND THE RUINS OF KHARA-KHOTO [Chap. XIII

In the background above are clouds and floating flowers and to L. is an elaborate Stilpa in a halo. Four labels have Hsi-hsia inscriptions. Lower edge has continuous Padmàsana border.

Engraving good, but rather mechanical in the repetition of the figures. Style Tibetan. Paper buff and in good condition, torn away at both sides. 81" x 7+". Pl LXIII.

K.K. II. 0231. u. i. Fr. of paper, composed of many layers matted together and painted dark green on one side with traces of red and white. 5" x 4r".

K.K. n. 0231. u. ii. Fr. of paper, similar to K.K. 0231. u. i, painted green with borders of narrow buff and broad red. Traces of red under green. 6i" x 5".

K.K. n. 0231. v. Block•printed paper leaf, with Hsi-hsia text decorated along top with row of six seated Buddha figures similar to K.K. 11.0233. uuu. Paper buff, very thin and torn. Upper L. corner in rags. 7 " x 4 ".

K.K. II. 0232. ii. i. Fr. of plain silk, showing selvedge ; buff. 1o" x 3I"

K.K. n. 0232. ii. ii. Fr. of plain silk, buff. 3" x 1 ".

K.K. II. 0233. Fr. of block•printed paper leaf, decorated at top with seated Buddha figs. similar to K.K. II. 0281. a. xxxviii (Pl. LXV), but with rayed body-halo and without ` bird '. Clean impression. Upper half of one fig. only and part of three spandrel leaves of next to R. Paper buff and woolly at torn edges. 21" x 1}".

K.K. II.0283. a. Block•printed paper leaf, with Hsi-hsia text. A broad sheet with row of 8 seated Buddha figures similar to K.K. II. 0292. i, but very much more crude and badly printed. Bottom row of characters worn off. Paper buff and woolly. 6" x 51"

K.K. u. 0233. a. iii. Fr. of silk muslin, dull brown. c. 5" X 2".

K.K. II. 0288. a. iv. Fr. of silk muslin, dull yellow. Unevenly woven. rod" x 2g".

K.K. II. 0233. a. v. Fr. of silk muslin, with rough painting in dull green and red with grey contour lines. Fragmentary and badly torn. Prob. part of votive picture. 12" x 4r.

K.K. n. 0233. a. vi. Fr. of coarse cloth (hemp ?) ; white with narrow lines of blue in both directions forming a kind of check. Patch of plain blue paint on one side and scrap of paper adhering to reverse. 44" x 2".

K.K. I1: 0233. b, 0280. a, 0290. a. Frs. of block•printed paper leaves, showing parts of picture of a Paradise, all from the same original. All the lower part of centre missing. General scheme an elaborate Chinese palace standing in a lake. From the central façade the wings are set back in two parallel retreating planes. A balcony extends the whole length of the building and gives access to openings flanked by columns or pilasters. The eaves of a Chinese tiled roof with upturned corners are visible over central and second façades.

Two streams of water, one R. the other L., pour from end

eaves and fall into lake below.   Chicks', or pairs of

curtains, coiled or drawn up nearly to the top, appear between columns of these two façades.

Sloping gangways lead up to balconies from great forecourt which extends whole width of picture and is enclosed all along by an elaborate wall topped with roof tiles. Below the elaborate brick- (or wood-) work of the wall is a plain band against which are double festoons of jewels held up by half-rosettes and divided by tasselled cords, pendent between. In immediate foreground are rolling clouds and at extreme ends of wall two tower gateways with raking flanks ; at each a small human figure in devout pose, apparently entering (a soul entering Paradise ?).

In centre of top of picture is a seated Bodhisattva figure with nimbus, and an enclosing Mandala on which is shown a broad pagoda projecting R. and L. of figure. Beyond this are rays extending to the limits of a rectangular enclosing frame. R. and L. of Mandala proceed four waving beams of light.

A group of four nimbate figures appears to R. and traces of a similar group to L. of central fig. Farther to R. in two last intercolumnar spaces of a second façade are two nimbate female figs., and a third approaches them up a gangway. To L. a similar group. In the two end spaces of third façade are two more figs. to R. and L. respectively.

From centre of picture stream two broadening wavy bands of light, one to R. and one to L., finishing at extreme upper corners of picture. On each of these are repeated five times a palace or shrine, a tree and a tank with little rings and small symbols scattered round. An extra tank appears at extreme R. Groups of figures occupy the forecourt.

To R. of centre is an orchestra of seven female celestial performers, all nimbate. The instruments include cymbals, mouth organ (Wu), clappers, whistle, conch (?), syrinx, the Chinese elongated lute and possibly another instrument not recognizable.

Clouds form a background and symbols (triangle, rings, &c.) float between figs. To R. are two labels with Hsihsia inscriptions. To R. a group of five nimbate monks (?) in adoring pose, having short black hair and flowing robes. Clouds and symbols form background. A Hsi-hsia label above foremost monk. In middle distance is seen a portion of lake with lotus. Farther to R. are five kneeling nuns (?), each with nimbus and a curious bow of light which bends forward from behind fig. and streams back behind nimbus. On this bow is repeated the shrine, tree and tank. The figs. have long hair drawn close to head and tied in small knot above nape of neck. Each fig. carries an object resembling a crown or ceremonial head-dress. Above these are the heads and shoulders of three demons with upward streaming hair and a ` king '. The farthest demon is probably four-armed and holds in R. rear hand the Sun. The demon below him appears to be Garuda.

Above foremost nun' is a two-column inscription. In immediate foreground on a fine cloud are two figures, perhaps kneeling (feet are hidden in cloud) ; one a warrior (LokapAla ?) with hands clasped, the other perhaps another