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

Sec. v] ANTIQUES FROM KHARA-KHOTO AND NEIGHBOURING SITES 483

warrior, but without headgear and partly shaven, holding. some offering (crown or helmet ?). Below cloud is visible foot of a bastion of the wall. .

To L. of centre of picture, fr. shows three nimbate, adoring monks ; five kneeling celestial warriors (?) nimbate and with bands of light as with ` nuns ' on opposite side ; and three demons and a ` king '. One of the demons is a Garuda(?); one has a skull on front of head (Mahàkâla?), and the third has a cobra (Nâgaràja ?). Six labels bear Hsi-hsia inscriptions.

Down L. edge of paper is border of five-pointed double-ended Vajras, alternating with semi-rosettes in pairs, ` engaged ' with side lines ; cf. K.K. u. 0272 a.

Whole very elaborate and an important wood-block. The lower part of centre and to L. of centre about two-fifths of whole length are missing. 0233. b is complete L. fifth of whole ; oz80. a shows about two-fifths of the whole upper edge, and a small detached fr. shows upper R. corner; woolly and torn ; 0290. a shows perfect two-fifths to R. The whole was folded concertina-wise in book form. Paper buff. Total length complete was 20". Breadth of block 6E. Pl. LXII.

K.K. II. 0233. ttt, uuu. One block-printed leaf and a fr. of paper, with Hsi-hsia text and decorated across upper edge with row of seated Buddha figures similar to K.K. II. 0276. t, but more roughly printed. uuu shows part of six figures and is torn away on L. and upper R. Paper buff and thin. 7f" x 44. tit shows part of four figures. Paper very thin. 31." x 2I".

K.K. II. 0233. vvv. Block-printed paper leaf, with Hsi-hsia text, ornamented at R. half of top with cut of

a standing saint (?), full face, leaning strongly to R. and steadying himself with a long staff which rests on ground to R. and crosses his body towards and beyond R. p. shoulder. R. hand on level of shoulder grasps staff, and L. hand prob. grasps it at breast level.

Figure has black short hair, no Usnisa, double-line nimbus, and wears ample robe falling over both shoulders,

with end carried over L. forearm. The whole in a single line frame ; the background within frame filled with roughly waving upward curved lines which proceed from fig. Pose recalls Christophorus.

To R. and part of same block part of a niche with round arch surrounded by upward curved rays stopped by cusped line of extrados. Above extrados architectural detail not very clear. Below niche a Padmâsana and within niche something not recognizable. All R. side torn away.

Three columns of text come below ornaments, and three more columns extend from top of page at L. of ornaments to the bottom. Just below centre of extreme outer column is the fr. of a shrine with tall pointed spire. Very much torn. Paper buff but fairly strong. 7" X 3}".

K.K. II. 0233. www. Fr. of block-printed paper leaf with Hsi-hsia text, ornamented along top with rows of seated figures of which three are partly present. The figures may be crude attempt to show Buddhas or Bodhi-

sattvas. They are seated. in Dhyâna-mudrâ, and below each is a kind of flattened long-petalled chrysanthemum rosette.

The head is broad with long horizontal moustache, sharply pointed head-dress with ear-flaps. Halo round body, and nimbus at head. Rough rays proceed from R. and L. of nimbus. The head suggests a warrior with lion-like face, while robe and pose might be those of Buddha or an ascetic. Work very rough. The columns of text below show the usual two characters at top and the final one below. Torn straight down R. side. Paper buff and good. 6" x r ".

K.K. H. 0233. xxx. Fr. of block-printed paper leaf with Hsi-hsia text, decorated across centre with row of seated Buddha figures, exactly like K.K. n. 0276. v. Upper half of page nearly all missing and also the R. half. Part of two figures only remain with two columns of text below them. Paper buff and rather soft. 5}" x Ii".

K.K. II. 0235. k. Fr. of paper leaf, with five columns of Hsi-hsia script. On other side very rough sketch of running horse, badly drawn. Paper buff, laid, ragged at all edges. 6f" x 4/".

K.K. II. 0236. a, b. Frs. of paper drawings. a shows part of two borders and centre of a painted circular device. Centre, yellow divided by thin red lines into petal-like sectors. Crude. Paper soft, and torn, prob. laid. 7" x 3". b, four elongated enclosed palmettes, their bases meeting against a central circle thus forming a cross. Roughly drawn in black. Paper as above. 4" x 4k". Remaining frs. show a few written chars. (Hsi-hsia) and scattered lines.

K.K. II. 0236. c. Fr. of paper, with part of block print. Below, upper characters of six columns of Hsi-hsia. Above, part of a scene in which five figures appear to R. Two muscular persons with bare legs and arms, probably carrying staves, proceed to R. To L. of these, two figures clad in long robes (monks or judges) facing each other.

Extreme L. a figure similar to first pair, but wearing leg covering and Chinese boots, advances hurriedly to L. in fighting pose with clenched fists. The last only has part of face and head, the others being torn away. Drawing good and vigorous. Paper buff and torn at all sides. sr X 2I". Pl. LXIV.

K.K. II. 0236. ccc. Fr. of plain buff silk. 3" x 2i".

K.K. II. 0236. ddd, 0237. aa. Frs. of coarse canvas (hemp ?) ; painted or printed blue ground with round spots reserved. 0236. ddd, I" x 21" ; 0237. aa, 4" x4".

K.K. II. 0238. a. Fr. of block-printed paper leaf on which is the L. part of picture. To R. is large figure of seated deity on a fine Padmâsana, the actual lotus apparently standing on a stem which is hidden by figured drapery and supported by a rectangular base. Behind figure is an elaborate chair-back', rectangular to level of figure's chin and then arched over the head in scrolls springing from Makaras and crowned at top with a flaming jewel resting

3Q2