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『東洋文庫所蔵』貴重書デジタルアーカイブ

which, together with a richly painted canopy higher up, cover the screen spared from the rock at the
back of the large Buddha image. The passage cut through the rock behind this image is a regular
Mural feature in all the larger Ch'ien-fo-tung cellas and necessitated by the 'Pradakṣiṇā'. The mural decora-
decoration tion of the cella is of an unusually simple design. It consists, on the vertical wall surfaces, of
of Ch. I. a diaper of small seated Buddha figures, in different coloured robes, painted on a background of light
greenish-blue which prevails in other cellas also. No doubt, the outlines were here, as elsewhere
in such cases, produced by means of stencils. Above them a row of broad-pointed streamers,
hanging from a gaily painted floral border, serves as a frieze for the frescoed walls. The sides of
the truncated cone which forms the ceiling are painted with a floral pattern of obviously textile
origin, showing large repeating rosettes with stylized foliage filling the interspaces.⁴

Mural Of a more interesting character is the decorative scheme of the side walls of the porch. It
paintings of shows a procession of over life-size Bodhisattvas carrying offerings and moving towards the cella.
porch. Each has an elaborate tasselled canopy hanging above his head, while graceful tracery with lotus
flowers fills the spaces intervening between the Bodhisattvas. This scheme was evidently
a favourite one for adorning the porches of large cellas, and is seen in better preservation else-
where.⁵ Browns and pale blues or greens are the prevailing colours in the garments. From the
way in which this decoration is extended close to the edge of the chapel entrance I was inclined to
believe that it might have been executed after the chapel with its sacred deposit had been walled
up. This would furnish an approximate date for the wall-painting of the porch. But it must be
remembered that the intention obviously was to hide the place of deposit, and that the reproduction
of a familiar decorative scheme dating a few centuries earlier over the surface of the newly added
walls would not have offered serious difficulties to the local painters, who in Sung times were still
capable of good work.

Sculptural In a group of grottoes adjoining Ch. I to the north and carved into the cliff on a higher level
remains in (Fig. 193) there is a large cella, Ch. II, which in spite of being much injured is of interest as having
shrine Ch. II. completely escaped restoration. The cella, 38 feet square, retains, as the plan shows (Plate 43),
a large platform for statues; but of these only the central image of a seated Buddha partially
survives with broken lotus bases for four minor figures on either side. As seen in Fig. 201, the
Buddha statue has lost its head completely except for the wooden core, and also most of the arms.
But the rest of the well-draped figure is in fair preservation and shows traces of gilding on the
purple robe. The halo and vesica executed in low relief display, in double bands excellently
designed, tracery in light green over purple. Within the inner band in the vesica are seen small
Buddhas seated on open lotuses poised over graceful stems. Both halo and vesica are edged with
borders of fine flame scrolls, alternately green and purple. We find equal freedom and grace in the
painted designs of the base and the canopy, the latter showing in its extant portion cloud scrolls
surmounted by large chrysanthemum-like flowers, such as appear also in some of the large Paradise
paintings above discussed.⁶ Very skilful, too, in their bold drawing and colouring are the figures of
two haloed disciples shown standing by the side of the Buddha, the elderly one in monk's garb on
the right evidently representing Kāśyapa.

Wall- The tempera paintings once covering the cella walls throughout have suffered very badly, the
paintings of plaster having been effaced or completely broken in most places. But on the south wall three out
cella Ch. II. of the four large panels into which the frescoed surface was once divided still remain for the most
part. Rising above a painted dado, six feet high, with figures of worshipping monks and nuns, the