The excellently preserved painting (Ch. xxxvii. 002) which this Plate
reproduces on a scale of slightly over one-half presents to us the
triumphant progress of Vaiśravaṇa, Guardian of the North and the
principal of the Lokapālas, or Protectors of the Four Regions. The
important position which the Lokapālas still enjoy in popular Buddhist
worship of the Far East is clearly marked by the frequency of their
representation among our Ch‘ien-fo-tung paintings. This again fully
agrees with the early origin of their conception as attested by Indian
art and tradition, and with what numerous frescoes and sculptures
brought to light by recent excavations in Chinese Turkestān show as to
their popularity in Central-Asian Buddhism.[51]
The foremost place among the Lokapālas of our paintings is occupied
by Vaiśravaṇa, the Protector of the Northern Region. This is fully
accounted for by the early Indian notion which identified this
particular ‘world-protector’ with Kubera, the Hindu god of wealth,
King of the Yakṣas. A further reason may be sought in the special
worship which Vaiśravaṇa as _genius loci_ enjoyed at Khotan, a main
seat of Buddhism in Eastern Turkestān and one in close relations with
Tun-huang.[52] Apart from the frequent appearance of his figure in
our banners, Vaiśravaṇa’s pre-eminent position is attested by the
fact that, alone among the Protectors of the Regions, he is found in
pictures attended by his demon host and in triumphant procession.
With one of these pictures, the small Kakemono-shaped silk painting
reproduced in Plate XLV and a work of high artistic merit, we shall
concern ourselves below. The other shown by our Plate, if not so
careful in design and execution, is yet remarkable for its spirited
composition and displays points of distinct iconographic interest.
It represents Vaiśravaṇa riding in full gallop across the ocean
accompanied by a numerous host representing his army of Yakṣas, or
demons. He is seen, as always, in the guise of a warrior king, and
wears here a young and strongly human appearance. Mounted on a white
horse with scarlet mane and tail, he turns back in the saddle and
with his mouth open seems to call to his followers. The right hand is
raised, while the left grasps the reins. The straight nose and eyes
give a distinctly Western look to his face, and in agreement with this
are the light blue iris of the eyes and the dark brown colour of the
hair, including a recurved moustache and tufts of beard and whiskers.
A long close-fitting coat of scale armour,[53] coloured yellow with
scarlet straps and border, reaches down below the knee. A leather
skirt-piece ornamented with flowers is secured round the waist and
hips, and below the coat floats out a long olive-green under-robe.
A high three-leaved crown covers the head; its shape and the long
streamers flying up from behind it distinctly suggest derivation from
Persian models. There are more indications also of Iranian influence in
details of this and other Lokapāla pictures; but this is not the place
to discuss them.[54] Broad streamers of flame rise from Vaiśravaṇa’s
shoulders and take the place of a nimbus.
There are points of interest also in the accoutrement of Vaiśravaṇa’s
horse. Its head, which is very small in proportion to neck and body,
is protected by a frontlet of scale-armour. Above the head-stall is
fixed a pair of black and white feathers. The numerous pompon-like
knobs or tassels which hang from the breast-band and crupper belong
to a type of ‘horse-millinery’ which is well known from Buddhist
paintings of Central Asia and India and is characteristic also
of the representation of chargers in Sassanian relievos.[55] Passing
reference may be made here also to the appearance of decorative motifs
unmistakably borrowed from textiles of ‘Sassanian’ style on the
Lokapāla’s dress and that of his horse.
In front of Vaiśravaṇa march two Yakṣas clad in what seems to be meant
for mail armour and carrying red pennons. Behind him are seen moving
other demon followers, all grotesque in appearance, and two with animal
jaws, &c. They carry a large flag decorated with a peculiar check and
vandyke pattern and a miniature Stūpa, both emblems associated with
Vaiśravaṇa also in the picture of Plate XLV, as well as a battle-axe
and bow and arrows. In the foreground are shown in violent movement
three goblins of savage look carrying jars and vases and apparently
quarrelling with the Yakṣas. As one of them attacks the latter with
a branch of coral or ‘Nāga tree’ in his hand, they may represent the
Nāgas from whom according to the legend Vaiśravaṇa won his treasure.
The flaming jewels and square-holed coins scattered in the foreground
seem to have the same symbolic bearing.
At the rear stand two human figures in Chinese secular costume, the man
with a mitre-like head-dress and a roll in his hands, the fair-faced
lady with hands joined in adoration and her hair done in the elaborate
tenth-century fashion. Whether they are meant for the donors of the
picture seems uncertain. The whole host is swept along on a cloud from
Vaiśravaṇa’s mansion, represented by a Chinese pavilion in the left top
corner, and moves across the sea, which is bounded in the background
by a mountain range (Mount Meru) and in the foreground by cliffs.
Infants, ducks, a shark-jawed monster’s head, and a nymph float here in
the water between scarlet lotuses, while on the cliffs there appears a
stag. Flowers are scattered in the air above.
The workmanship, while well finished throughout, shows an ease and
boldness which befits the subject. The simplicity of the colour scheme,
which is almost entirely confined to yellow, scarlet, and white on
greenish-brown tints of the background, helps the eye to take in the
rapidity of the movement represented.