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

across the material, the arches of flattened curve joining
each other in smaller reverse curve. This rests on short shaft
composed of Chinese fret supported by grotesque horned mask
which forms crown or keystone of arch in next row of ar-
cading. Arches composed of plain bands of alternate light
and dark, carrying double band of spiral wave scroll (cloud).

Lower plane a broad 'all-over' ogee, synchronizing with
arcading of upper plane in such a way that the fusion of the
sides of adjoining ogees occurs in centre of each archway,
the curves of the ogees passing below the haunches of the
arches most agreeably. Fusion of opposing ogees ingenious.
Two descending curves are brought together and open again
into ring-like loop, which is passed over corresponding loop
formed by ascending lower curves, the two being locked in
reef-knot. In upper spandrel between diverging curves of
ogee and intrados of arch, a ring. In corresponding space
below, between curves of ogee and haunches of two adjoining
arches, a palmette growing downwards from two ogee curves.

Right and left of centre formed by fusion of ogees, and
filling the space of each arch, two pairs of confronting beasts,
one pair above other. In one row of arcading, pair of griffins
and pair of wyverns, and in next row, pair of griffins and pair
of lions; this alternation is constant. In each case the griffins
are above, and their tails curve into light band forming lower
edge of arch containing them.

Fabric distinguished from all others from Ch'ien-fo-tung,
both by pattern and manner of weave; but the latter found
again in T. xv. a. iii. 0010. a and T. xxii. c. 0010. a (Pls. LV,
CXVIII) where pattern suggests a distant resemblance in style
also. See above, pp. 911 sq.; also Burlington Magazine,
1920, August. Fairly preserved. Gr. M. 92⁵⁄₈. Pl. CXI, and
design, p. 963.

Ch. 00119. Fr. of silk embroidery. On terra-cotta
silk gauze of open plain weave, trailing sprays of leaves and
flowers are worked in bands of dark blue, green, China blue,
pale blue, cream, and terra-cotta. Work gives effect of block
shading in satin-stitch, but stitch is not true satin-stitch of
Ch. 0075, where each stitch starts from same side of leaf as
the one before. Here stitches start alternately on opposite
sides, and effect behind is of a small running stitch outlining
design. This stitch gives same effect on right side as satin-
stitch, besides saving silk and weight, and is the one most
used in embroidery frs. in Collection. Rather rough work.
Torn. 1′ 7⅜″ × 5″.

Ch. 00121. Silk painting representing Avalokiteśvara
seated, with Lokapāla attendants. Lower quarter lost;
remainder somewhat broken about top; flowery band painted
round edge in imitation of painted silk border, and outer
border (originally) of plain brown silk. A specially fine
example of Indian tradition as preserved in Chinese Buddhist
painting.

Avalok. seated on wide flat Padmāsana in attitude of
'royal ease'; R. knee raised with R. hand hanging open
over it, thumb and first finger joined; L. knee, hand, and
lower leg lost, but evidently at knee holding long spray of
purple lotus which rises beside head. Dhyāni-buddha on
front of tiara. Body slender-waisted, leaning towards L.

shoulder; limbs long, slim, and somewhat angular in pose;
head erect; face young and clean-shaven with serene
expression and downcast eyes, slightly oblique, with finely
curved upper and under lids.

Dress of regular Indian Bodhisatva type, consisting of
laṅgōṭī, over which thin skirt, uncoloured, hanging about leg
and ankle but revealing contours. No stole or arms but
narrow scarf entwined on breast; shoulder draperies; jewellery
consisting of bracelets, anklets, narrow girdle, necklace,
armlets with high arm-shield, ear-rings, and three-leaved
tiara orn. with purple and yellow lotuses. Hair done in high
cone, and otherwise seen only in smooth band round fore-
head. Circular vesica and oval pointed halo; draped
canopy. In upper corners unobtrusive figs. of Virūpākṣa
(L.) and Vaiśravaṇa (R.), in mail armour as in silk banners,
seated on rocks. The two other Lokapālas may have been
in bottom corners. Feathery floral sprays, in style of Ch.
printed silk patterns, scattered on background.

Colouring slight and perhaps unfinished, consisting chiefly
of crimson on short laṅgōṭī and canopy, crimson and green
on scarf, pale blue and green on halo and vesica, and touches
of dull yellow and purple on armlets and lotuses. Flesh
and skirt uncoloured, hair only pale grey, and jewellery (apart
from armlets) dull white, perhaps ground for subsequent
colour. Drawing of ease and distinction, thrown into pro-
minence by simplicity of fig. and scarcity of colour.

For other Avaloks. of Indian type, in this pose, see
Ch. xxii. 00017; xxvi. 001; lv. 003 and 0024; and cf.
Ch. 00157, 00221; xx. 005; lvi. 0015. 1′ 8″ (incomplete)
× 1′ 0″. Thousand Buddhas, Pl. XLIII.

Ch. 00122. Paper painting of youthful Buddha, orig-
inated on fr. of MS. Ch. 1382. Seated in meditation on
Padmāsana with spreading base and top; hands and feet
hidden; face round and childish with ingenuous expression.
Red mantle covers both arms; behind are circular vesica
(greenish brown) and halo (maroon, red, and yellow).
Buddha's lips and base of Padmāsana are red, but remainder
uncoloured. The drawing has much charm and delicacy,
but is somewhat torn. 4⅞″ × 3¾″. As pasted on MS.
9⅜″ × 5⅛″.

Ch. 00124. Silk painting representing Two-armed
Avalokiteśvara (Kuan-yin), seated, with attendants and donors.
Painting considerably broken and surface worn; border of
dark purple linen with suspension loops of red and yellow
silk complete; but linen on lower edge replaced by purple
silk damask with rosette pattern.

Avalok. sits with legs in adamantine pose on lotus with
scarlet and purple-tipped petals; R. hand in vitarka-mudrā
at breast, holding long-stemmed scarlet and white lotus
between finger and thumb; L. supporting flask at shoulder
level; Dhyāni-buddha on front of tiara.

Fig., dress, jewellery, vesica, halo, and canopy much as in
Ch. 00167, but drawing less certain and colouring mostly
lost. Latter consisted chiefly of scarlet and slate-blue with
pale yellow on orns. and some dull olive-green on halo and
lotus centre. No flame border on vesica; Bodhisattva's hair
slate-blue, and flesh shaded only with pale pink. Flask