国立情報学研究所 - ディジタル・シルクロード・プロジェクト
『東洋文庫所蔵』貴重書デジタルアーカイブ

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0340 Ruins of Desert Cathay : vol.2
中国砂漠地帯の遺跡 : vol.2
Ruins of Desert Cathay : vol.2 / 340 ページ(カラー画像)

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doi: 10.20676/00000213
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heavenly scenes, and their juxtaposition, as seen in Fig.
203, helps to bring out the contrast. As an interesting
departure from the usual styles of wall decoration practised
at the 'Thousand Buddhas,' I may mention the paintings
found in a small cella to the north of the Tao-shih's cave.
Here the work seemed to be real fresco, not the usual
tempera on a plain stuccoed surface. The large figure
in the middle is that of Avalokitesvara represented as
'the most compassionate Kuan-yin' with many hands.
On either side haloed figures are shown in the act of
worship, while above floats on a cloud a beautifully designed
Gandharvi.
The photographs reproduced in Figs. 160, 203 may
convey some idea of the wealth of mural paintings in one
of the largest cave-temples (Ch. VIII. as I numbered it).
Its cella has retained most of its original wall decoration
and, judging from certain indications, appears to have
served as a model for several other grottoes. The screen
at the back of the chief image, which has completely dis-
appeared and been replaced by a coarse modern Stupa in
plaster, is covered below with rows of colossal Bodhisattvas.
Above is painted a canopy with garlands of big flowers
resembling chrysanthemums. Behind the screen is seen
the rich decoration of the roof rising in the shape of a
truncated pyramid. The spandrels in the corners below,
where it springs from the side walls, are filled with four
grotesque figures of warriors painted in unmistakably
Chinese style and representing the Guardian-kings of the
Regions.
The cella walls are covered throughout with paintings,
all about twelve feet high, those on the north and south
sides being divided into five panels, each over nine feet
wide, while the rest show continuous compositions. The
panels contain scenes from Buddhist heavens cleverly
varied in their composition. The wall facing the entrance is
covered with crowded representations of stories, probably
taken from the 'Jatakas,' shrines, monastic dwellings,
and scenes of travel being distinguishable even in the
photograph (Fig. 204). The shorter walls on either side
of the entrance show above a royal procession, and below,