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

Sec. ii] LIST OF PAINTINGS, TEXTILES, ETC., FROM CH'IEN-FO-TUNG 1047

elsewhere only worn by the King or Prince ; see scenes (I) and (4) of this banner, and Ch. lxi. ooz. His high sq. black cap is, however, the same as that worn by Chandaka in scene (z), and horse has Kanthaka's colours. Scene 4. Report of Messengers to King S:zddhodhana. v King sits on R. under sloping roof of open pavilion ; five men bow before him, while two officials stand at his side. Drawing less delicate than in Ch. lv. 009 series, but expressive; deep sleep of guards in scene (s) and rush of

horses in scene (2) being vividly represented.   Guards,
warder, and messengers wear the usual long belted coats, crimson, blue, or yellow, black-tailed caps, and top-boots of Ch. xx. oo8, etc. ; Prince and King pink or red under-robes and very wide-sleeved black jackets, red bordered and showing white lining at sleeves and open neck. Executioner, tall and burly, wears crimson robe or mantle leaving R. arm and breast bare, and orange napkin tied over hair and forming a two-eared cap. His assistant wears same sort of cap, and his sleeve is thrown back from arm. Head of executioner's axe almost entirely gone. The official in this scene, and the two in attendance on King in scene (4), wear ample sweeping coats and streamer tied in bow, seen as the Minister's in Ch. 00114. Their hair seems to be done in high top-knot, while Chandaka in scene (I) and rider in scene (3) wear tall sq. black head-dresses ; Prince has no covering over his black top-knot. King's head-dress in scene (4) cannot be clearly seen for the pavilion roof.

Architecture as in Ch. 0039, lv. 009 series. Gateway has sq. projecting jambs and lintel, painted dull blue with scroll pattern of palmette type in black in scene (r), and dull green in more elaborate pattern of interlacing scrolls in (3). Wall in this scene also dull blue in diamond lattice-work, lozenges . of which are filled with four-petalled flowers of Gandhâra type ; but in scenes (1) and (3) it is painted simply in parallel lines of red and light brown. Door itself studded with four horizontal rows of nails, and has ring handle. Buildings in scene (4) are painted red, white, and blue ; colouring throughout fairly preserved. A yellow cartouche (blank) for inscr. is placed at side of each scene.

For other representations of the Flight, see Ch. xlix. 005 and lv. oo r r ; of the Messengers' ride, Ch. xx. oo8 ; xxvi. a. 003 ; xlvi. 004, and lxi. ooz ; for the Examination of the Women,cf. Ch. lv. ooz z; and for the Report of the Messengers, Ch. xx. oo8.

I, 9 ' x 73". PI. LXXV.

Ch. xlvi. oo8. Dated silk painting with Chin. inscr., representing Paradise of Antilabha (?) in simplified form, and donors. Date given in inscr. A. D. 952. Complete with 4' border and suspension loops of pinkish-purple silk ; painting almost intact, but surface worn.

Amitâbha sits on Padmâsana, upon railed terrace rising from lake, in midst of company of six Bodhisattvas and four armed Kings ranged close about him on either side. Small part of lake seen in front, but no souls appear in it ; no altar, dancer, or musicians, birds, or celestial mansions. Instead of latter, upper end of picture filled by ten small seated Buddhas, representing prob. Buddhas of Ten Quarters

of Universe, with narrow inscr. cartouche, almost effaced, by each. So far as legible, these inscrs. seem to contain only salutations to the Buddha.

Central Buddha's pose, dress, and colouring are same as in Ch. xx. 003 ; the trees, canopy, and attendant Bodhisattvas also of same type and roughly drawn. All Bodhisattvas have their hands in adoration and no distinctive attributes ; the Kings wear same varieties of equipment as in Lokapala banners (see General Note, *Ch. ooz 0).

If presiding Buddha is Amitâbha, this the only instance in which the Kings found in attendance on him (see *Ch. oo51). They are of semi-grotesque human appearance ; their flesh painted bright orange, that of Bodhisattvas white or pink shaded with orange. But this light colouring and decorative colouring of haloes almost entirely lost. Black used for hair of all figs. is of the curiously dense and gritty character observed in Ch. 00104.

Donors—man kneeling on L. and woman on R. of dedicatory inscr. panel at lower end—on large scale and good examples in dress and coiffure of the tenth-century type, seen also in *Ch. 00102, etc. Man carries smoking censer, woman red lotus bud ; behind each stands young attendant, or juniôr member of family, of same sex. These are dressed like larger figs., except that boy's coat is light green and that he is bare-headed, his hair tied on each side in knot with a free end (as in Ch. 00224, etc.). He holds long-handled screen of flat elliptical shape, as seen also in Ch. 00224 ; girl carries a casket. For inscription see Petrucci, Appendix E, II.

4'IX2' 6".

Ch. xlvi. oog. Silk painting, representing seated Buddha, perhaps Mailreya, with donors. Complete with border of coarse red twill (cotton ?), and in fair condition.

Buddha seated European fashion, facing spectator, on low rectang. sitting platform ; knees apart and feet resting on small lotuses, but no Padmasana ; hands in vilarka-mudrâ on either side of breast. Dress usual green under-robe with black border, and red mantle covering both shoulders ; hair black, flesh yellow shaded with red ; eyes straight and eyebrows very high on forehead ; small moustache and beard circular halo and vesica of concentric rings of dull green and red with flame border, and outer border of white ; canopy a conventional flower spray. Donors of type seen in *Ch. 00102 two men standing on R., woman and young boy on L. Latter clad in long trousers, long-sleeved under-garment, and sleeveless top-tunic with slit skirts, held by straps over shoulders and girt round waist ; hair like that of children in Ch. xl. oo8 ; lvii. 004.

Dedicatory panel and . cartouches blank. Workmanship mediocre and colouring dull.

2' Ir X I' 3;É", with border 2' 611x

Ch. xlvi. 0010. Painted silk banner with Tib. inscr. ; both ends of painting and all accessories lost. Fair condition.

Subject : Avalokilesvara. Stands   L., wrists crossed
at girdle, R. hand holding flask, L. pink lotus bud. From same series as *Ch. oor08, and similar in style, colouring, and