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

In foreground to L. a squatting elephant with hind legs
like those of a lion, ears bovine, small curved trunk, tusks
growing upward from lower jaw, eye surrounded by radiat-
ing lines.

To R. two seated figures, nimbate, in full robes and grace-
ful head-dress, hands folded, looking to centre. Farther
to R. a square altar covered with a cloth figured with
double circle paterae, with pleated valance near top edge,
falling below a border of chevron pattern. On centre
of top of altar, a lotus pattern bowl containing indefinite
objects from which proceed waving rays.

At L. corner of altar a kneeling figure in robe, across
which run broad black bands. To R. a shaven monk
approaches altar in deferential attitude, hands folded.
A halo surrounds his head and lotuses support his feet,
which are covered with thick-soled Chinese shoes. Beyond
the altar a portion of an architectural scheme appears
which may be the lower part of the central throne. The
extreme foreground is occupied by cloud.

The description is compiled from three frs., all from
the same original though probably not from the same
printing-block. K.K. II. 0227 shows part of the L. and
lower border lines, elephant, part of the two figures just
above and part of the two seated in foreground. Paper
very woolly at torn edges. 5″ × 4½″. K.K. II. 0253 shows
the whole of foreground with border lines, from elephant
to monk and part of kneeling figure above elephant, part
of two seated figures to R. of elephant, the altar and the
two figures addressing it. Paper yellow and fairly firm.
8½″ × 3½″. K.K. II. 017. s. iv. shows the 'Bodhisattva',
the six figures behind, the kneeling and seated figures
above elephant, part of elephant's head, top of nimbus
of seated figure to R. of elephant and on a detached fr.
part of altar and upper half of monk. Paper soft, woolly
and tattered. 7½″ × 4″. Pl. LXII.

K.K. II. 0227. b. Two block-printed paper leaves,
with Hsi-hsia text. One leaf decorated with two rows
each of six seated Buddha figures, one row at top of page,
the other at centre. Very crude and stylized. Below each
figure five or six written characters, of which the first two
and the last in each row are identical in all. The other
leaf has text without figures. Paper buff and good. c.
7½″ × 3½″. Pl. LXV.

K.K. II. 0227. v. Fr. of paper leaf, with impression
in dark buff of wooden block. Design bizarre and difficult
to make out. The centre is occupied by an outlined figure
combining a flattened Stūpa raised on a base with an
extension above vaguely resembling the outline of a man
with arms composed of undulating banners. Below base
is a supporting Padmāsana. This central form extends
almost the whole height of the picture.

Within the form, against base and Stūpa is a seated
Buddha figure with halo and nimbus. The rest of the form
is filled with an inscription in Tibetan characters. On
the 'field' to R. and L. of 'head' is a pair of seated figures
on clouds, with umbrella canopy over the head of each.

Symbols and floral forms fill all spaces, and a double
line borders the whole. Lower L. corner torn away.
Paper thin and buff. 6½″ × 3½″.

K.K. II. 0228. q. Fr. of two block-printed paper leaves,
with Hsi-hsia text, decorated at top with row of six seated
Buddha figures on each, exactly similar to K.K. II. 0295.
cc (Pl. LXV). One leaf torn in half and lower part
missing. The other torn. Top edge ragged. Buff. 6″ × 3½″.

K.K. II. 0228. t. Fr. of paper, with drawing in line
of eyes and L. ear of life-size head of elderly man of Chinese
type. Paper thin and dark buff. Torn on all sides.
3½″ × 5½″.

K.K. II. 0228. u. Two frs. of coarse canvas, with traces
of pale blue pigment (tempera ?) and paper backing. Gr.
fr. 3½″ × 4½″.

K.K. II. 0229. a., 0239. c. Six frs. of block-printed
paper leaf. The scene appears to be the adoration of a
serpent or of a central figure (missing) in which the serpent
takes a prominent part. The scene is laid on a richly
tiled terrace or court of a palace of which one column and
part of a complicated architrave are shown to the L. (fr.
0229. a) with 'valance' and rolled 'chicks' below the
architrave.

On the same fr., which is in two pieces, are also seen within
the colonnade :—to L. of column two clean shaven attend-
ants wearing cassocks and black hats which have an erect
portion at back rising above the low flat crown and perhaps
club-shaped ribbons each side. The near figure with R.
hand clasped by the L. is in a sort of pose of peaceful
resignation, and the other bearing a censer (?). Lower
parts of figs. hidden by ornamental balustrades in front of
column. End of balustrade is just to R. of column and
stops against a post surmounted by an open lotus finial.

To R. of column a female fig. with rippling hair dressed
close to head curtain-wise over each temple. Mukuṭa,
a jewel-like flower. She wears a full robe crossed over
breast and carries in R. hand a sceptre or wand resting
against her R. shoulder and terminating at the level of
her head in a Madonna lily. She stands behind another
robed fig. with elaborate head-dress and apparently seated
on, or standing in front of, a high-backed carved chair.
The whole of front of fig. missing.

Below in L. corner of picture a group of persons of which
four are traceable. Two immediately below balustrade
are dressed as the two above, the stiffened club-shaped
tabs (or ribbons) shown clearly projecting at each side of
lower part of back of hat. One has a long beard and the
other a short 'goatee' and moustache. The other two
figs., below, have deep fringes or pleats round lower edge
of gown and hats of a generally similar shape to those
above but more ornate in outline. All four hold in front of
their faces a billet-like object. Part of pavement shows in
foreground. A fine scroll border, white on black, runs
round the three intact edges of picture.

0239. c is in four ragged pieces, three of which join and
these together join to 0229. a. The tiled pavement is