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

I070 CAVE-TEMPLES & ANTIQUES OF

Alternating with trefoil and duck groups are elliptical white rosettes. Surface worn.

7. Figured silk of same weave and similar design ; see [8]. Pattern preserved consists of row of large six-petalled rosettes, dark myrtle-green on bright red ground, with white centres outlined with red. Trefoils in spandrels myrtle-green, rising from between pale blue trefoils (horizontal) ; yellow ducks below ; small rosettes alternating with trefoil groups, pale blue. Surface worn.

8. Figured silk, satin twill ; design same as that of [6] and [7] but showing complete scheme. Rows of six-petalled rosettes are set out diagonally, with vertical distance between rows of c. 1*'. Above each row runs a zigzag band of foliage and tendrils, the points ending respectively in upward and downward pointing trefoils which occupy spandrels between rosettes above and below. The chief mass of foliage occurs directly over each rosette, and in it perch two confronting birds with ruffled wings ; over their heads lie two horizontal trefoils, with an upright trefoil springing-between and filling the spandrel as referred to above. In spaces to R. and L. of the horizontal trefoils, and just off bottom petal of large rosettes, are small flattened four-petalled rosettes; between the large rosettes, as placed in their horizontal rows, are small quatrefoils. Ground indigo ; pattern woven in bands of colour irrespective of details of design, as follows :

(i) nt top, large rosettes with quatrefoils and trefoils in spandrels, buff; (ii) horizontal trefoils in foliage band and small rosettes, pale blue ; (iii) birds and mass of foliage, buff and yellow Q); (iv) large rosettes as in i with quatrefoils and trefoils, red ; (v) repeating i , pale green ; (vi) repeating di, buff and light blue ; (vii) repeating i and iv, in orig. buff. Much frayed.

9. Figured silk, satin twill, woven in chevron bands of

(i) white and dull yellow, (ii) myrtle-green and gamboge. Chevron runs vertically and each band is y deep. Seems to imitate braid.

Embroideries. The chief specimens of these are : [ r o] Two very fine pieces of floral embroidery on cream silk gauze backed with plain cream silk. In one the gauze seems to have been purposely cut away round design after embroidery was completed. Each little panel is complete, and shows a central pendent seven-petalled flower with leaves and buds on curving stems hanging on each side, and a smaller flower and buds immediately below. Worked in satin-stitch in shaded true blues and greens and greenish blues, black, buff, red, cream, and mauve. Calyxes of lower buds unfinished in one piece. Fine work of characteristically Chinese style (cf. Shôsôin Catalogue, ii. Pl. 96); silk still fresh and glossy.

[11] Various pieces of flower, bird, and butterfly embroidery on red silk gauze backed with red silk. Gauze cut and worn away. Small all-over pattern, prob. much like Ch. 00281. Remains very ragged. Flowers white, yellow, and pink (?) ; birds shaded blues and white, or buff and white, with long humming-bird tails ; leaves pale green, yellow, and greenish indigo. Seems to have occupied large part of centre of patchwork, now lost.

THE THOUSAND BUDDHAS [Ch. XXV

Damasks. The damasks are found mainly in two groups, [12], on R. and L. lower edge of patchwork. They include : (i) pale lemon-yellow with dragon-fly (i) design ;

2. buff yellow, with trefoils or lozenges counterchanged ;

3. rich purple, with rounded bud and leaf forms and head of bird (2) ; (iv) red, same as Ch. 00374. All these have plain ground, and pattern in twill. Also (v), pale yellow, with lozenge diaper, and others completely destroyed.

In middle are two large damask pieces, formerly background to embroidery : [13] Fine dark slaty-blue, rather loose weave ; ground plain, pattern twill ; design four-petalled lozenge-shaped rosettes in rows, set out diagonally.

[14] \Vine-coloured damask, loose weave, much perished; ground plain, pattern twill ; design small lozenges in rows set out diagonally.

Printed silk. [15] Along lower edge just within border

• runs a band of very coarse cream silk, plain weave and open texture, printed in dark brown with circular rosettes and four-armed spots like those of Ch. 00171, figured silk, etc. Middle of rosettes done in crimson spots.

The designs are naturalistically treated throughout, and many more or less close parallels in foliage groups, birds, and rosette forms are found in the Shôsbin. 5' x 3' 6". Pls. CVII, CVIII, and (design of printed border) CXXII.

Ch. 1v. 0029. Painted silk banner of Indian' type, as *Ch. lv. 004. Top and bottom of painting, and all accessories, lost ; colour much dimmed.

Subject : Avalokileivara. Fig. stands facing spectator on lotus ; R. hand hanging by side, palm out in vara-mudrii, L. raised from elbow carrying pink lotus. Skirt of transparent white stuff spotted with red, revealing limbs of somewhat round and delicate contour ; langoli dull pink; stoles of dull red and green ; traces of white paint on body and arms. Tiara a massive circlet of metal-work set with high triangular ornaments and red lotuses, with representation of seated Buddha on front. Hair on top of head done in high cone. Face short and full, with downcast eyes and mild expression. 1' 51" x 6k'.

Ch. lv. 0030. Painted silk banner of Indian ' type, as *Ch. lv. 004. Top and bottom of painting, and all accessories, lost ; much broken and dimmed.

Subject : Maï jusri. Cf. also *Ch. xxvi. a. 007. Fig. stands on lotus, weight thrown on R. hip, and body inclined to R. (spectator's) ; . head â L. R. arm bent up at elbow, and hand extended palm uppermost with third and fourth fingers bent. L. carries sword resting on shoulder. Skirt of dark striped pink and green, over red langoti ; white girdle and dull brown stole. Face almost identical with Ch. lv. 007, oo8. Tiara consists of circlet set with triangular ornaments and pink lotuses, and containing high conical head-piece which cornpletely covers top of head. Flesh painted dark green, except lips, palms of hands, and edge of soles of feet, red. z' 4" X 6'.

Ch. Iv. 0031. Remains of painted silk banner of ' Indian' type, as *Ch. lv. 004. Much dimmed and all accessories lost.

Subject : Bodhisattva, perhaps Avalokite§vara. Fig. (lost