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

> > > >
カラー New!IIIFカラー高解像度 白黒高解像度 PDF   日本語 English
0343 Ruins of Desert Cathay : vol.2
中国砂漠地帯の遺跡 : vol.2
Ruins of Desert Cathay : vol.2 / 343 ページ(カラー画像)

New!引用情報

doi: 10.20676/00000213
引用形式選択: Chicago | APA | Harvard | IEEE

OCR読み取り結果

in a dado which unfortunately has suffered in parts, rows
of female figures richly clad and carrying offerings. The
head-dress of all of them is extremely elaborate, with huge
pendants and bulb-shaped coiffures. Richer jewelry and
somewhat greater stature evidently indicate distinctions in
rank. A Chinese inscription on one of these dados, as
interpreted on the spot by Chiang-ssŭ-yeh, and since
confirmed by M. Chavannes, conveys the important in-
formation that this temple cave had been dedicated by a
princess of Yü-t'ien, or Khotan. Full light on her date, as
on so many details of these frescoes, may confidently be
expected from M. Pelliot, who was able to study them
carefully.
The fine frescoes on the walls of the broad passage or
porch leading into this cella were exposed to far greater
injury. But on the southern wall a large and very spirited
piece of work has survived, curiously recalling some old
Venetian picture by its rich colours and the stately pomp
and free movement depicted (Fig. 205). It shows a
colossal seated Buddha riding through the air on a richly
decorated car which flying genii keep in rapid motion.
His right hand is raised in the symbolic act of making
'the wheel of supreme sovereignty' revolve. A robe of
pale pink covers his shoulders, while an under-garment of
brilliant azure envelops the body from the waist down-
wards. Two gorgeous banners showing dragons on white
ground strewn with green and blue fleurs-de-lys float
behind, and mark the quick movement by their fluttering
ends. A host of saints and armed attendants are shown
flying by the side of and behind the car. Above float
cleverly painted clouds on which small groups of saints
stand or kneel.
I may conclude this rapid survey of the pictorial decora-
tion of the shrines by a reference to a fairly large cave
(Ch. XVI.) situated at the southern extremity of the site.
The general scheme here corresponds closely to that of
the Khotan princess's temple, and certain details of execu
tion make it clear that the latter had served as the direct
model. But what gave to this shrine a particular interest
was the curious fresco composition which covers the whole