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

Sec. ii] LIST OF PAINTINGS, TEXTILES, ETC., FROM CHIEN-FO-TUNG 1013

condition and painting worn. Head-piece and upper end of painting broken off main piece.

Centre of head-piece plain buff silk painted with lotus design in orange, dull red, buff, and black ; border and streamers of dull myrtle-green silk stencilled with flower motifs in blackish paste. One bottom streamer lost, and replaced by band of flimsy dark blue silk doubled. In place of wooden weighting-board are strips of paper from Chin. manuscript cut to same shape, pasted together, and covered with rough scroll and leaf patterns in ink on either side. Two Chin. chars. are scrawled on border of head-piece, and Chin. inscr., half-effaced, on yellow cartouche on L. side of painting.

Subject : `Bodhrsallva who knows no obstacle', perhaps Avalokites`vara. Stands . L. with hands in adoration, skirt raised to knees, leaving legs bare. Except for face, seems a replica of Ch. xxiv. oo6, traced on reverse side. Face full with narrow eyes almost straight, blunt nose, and cheek making an absblutely. straight line in profile from eyebrow to mouth. Small rippling moustache and imperial are painted in light green over black, as also are eyebrows.

Despite its cracked condition and loss of much paint, this banner is still'one of the most refined examples of *Ch. 002 type of Bodhisattva. The colouring retains much of its glow, and was gay in tone, consisting chiefly of brilliant crimson (found mostly on stole) and bright soft blue (on reverse). Skirt, drapery on breast, and lotus underfoot are dull pinkish purple ; streamers, stamens, and centre of lotus, green. Fig. is slight and held very erect ; drawing delicate, and ornamental details gracefully finished. Border of skirt, for instance, is here a fluted frill, blue on outside with folds drawn carefully in fine white and black lines, and orange shaded to crimson and Indian red within.

Tiara is simile white fillet with almost no gold work, supporting over forehead star of four lotuses of shaded orange or purple with blue centres, surrounding fifth (blue) . lotus on which rests flaming jewel. Halo and canopy tassels and jewels are of same crimson, blue, and green ; and tassels are decked at end with rows of small white beads.

Painting 2' X 64", length of whole 5' 4'.

Ch. iii. 003. Remains of painted silk banner ; light greyish gauze of specially open texture as Ch. xxii. 004. Three bottom streamers of light brown silk. Paint much gone.

Subject : Avalokileivara (Kuan-yin). Stands L. on red and blue lotuses ; frs. showing respectively (r) from bottom of banner to mid-thigh of fig. ; (2) drapery at waist ; (3) lower part of face and neck with hands supporting flask (1); (4) upper segment of halo. Dress and style of work of type *Ch. 002 ; colours remaining, salmon-pink, dull blue, green, and crimson.

Length of frs. 8", ii", r", e"; width 5â".

Ch. iii. 004. Large silk painting representing Thousand-armed Avalokileivara with attendant divinities. Much broken' about bottom, but fairly complete in upper half; surface badly destroyed throughout.

For general design and treatment of central fig., see *Ch.

00223, etc. Avalok. single-headed, and has Dhyâni-buddha on front of tiara. Attendants consist of :

(i—ii) above : Bodhisattvas of Sun and Moon; Sun with red disc, on R., seated on his five red and white geese ; Moon, with white disc, on L., seated on five red or white horses.

(iii—iv) above, at sides : two Lokapalas in armour, seated cross-legged on rocks ; on R., with halberd, perhaps Vaifravana; on L., with club, perhaps Virfulhaka. Armour as in Ch. xlix. 007.

(v—x) three Bodhisattvas, unparticularized, on each side,

seated one below other ; hands in various mystic poses. •   .

(xi—xii) beneath Avalok.'s knees, Nymph personifying Virtue and prob. facing the aged Sage (see *Ch. 00223); but latter fig. with tank, Nagas (1), and whole middle foreground is lost. Nymph seated, with L. knee raised, L. hand carrying jewel on palm, and R. hand in vilarka-mudrei. She wears red and green robes high to neck as in figs. of dancers in Paradise pictures (see *Ch. 0055, etc.) and red' coif-like head-dress over plain round metal-orn. cap.

In bottom corners were evidently two seated Lokapalas (xiii, xiv) ; but only helmeted head of one on R., holding upright club, is preserved.

Crimson, dull green, and slate-blue, with black for hair and coarse yellow for Avalok.'s flesh, were principal colours on dull greenish background. But paint and drawing are both now mostly lost, and workmanship originally was of third-rate quality. 4' 7" (incomplete) x

Ch. iii. oo6. Fr. of large silk painting representing .I11ai juiri on lion ; R. half of procession as Ch. xxxvii. 003 and prob., like it, part of arch-shaped painting, but all edges incomplete. Fr. itself badly broken. Figs. preserved include 1\ laiiju§ri, lion, and Indian attendant; two Lokapalas in armour holding respectively arrow and . sword ; two Bodhisattvas ; three musicians playing cymbals, mouth organ (straight shape), and mouth organ (teapot shape) ; and in R. bottom corner a nymph supporting hand, not of personage in Chinese dress as in Ch. xxxvii. 003-5, but of standing Buddha. Arrangement and treatment generally as in Ch. xxxvii. 003 ; but Manjuiri sits cross-legged, and his flesh is deep orange-tan. Both his hands are raised : R. with thumb, first and second fingers erect as in blessing ; L. apparently in vilarka-mudrd, but damaged. Colouring generally light, consisting chiefly of pinkish white on lion and flesh of attendant figs., slate-blue, crimson, and yellow on dress and trappings. Work rather rough. 5' 4' x 3' 5".

Ch. iii. oou. Linen painting representing Avalokiksvara, standing, with donors (obliterated). No border or suspension loops. Good condition.

A. stands facing spectator ; R. hand raised, holding willow spray ; L. stretched stiffly by side, carrying flask with porcelain body, metal neck and foot. Dhyâni-buddha on front of tiara. Good specimen of ' Indi.:tn' type of Bodhisattva in fig. and dress ; for other examples (amongst linen paintings), cf. *Ch. 0052. ' Flowered over-skirt, flowered border to skirt, and elaborate jewellery. Colouring bright red, olive-green, yellow, and dark grey. 5' 9' x r' to". Pl. LXXXIX.