Mogao Cave 103: Illustration of the Lotus Sutra - Chapter on the Parable of the Phantom City

CHINA, Gansu, Dunhuang; Tang dynasty

Located on the right side of the south wall, this painting is based on the “Chapter on the Parable of the Phantom City” of the Lotus Sutra. The story tells of a wise guide who led a group of people on a difficult journey. When he observed the people growing weary and doubtful, the guide manifested a city oasis where they could rest and regain their strength. When the group was well-rested, the guide then made the city vanish in order to spur them onward.
A group of travelers are shown leading elephants and horses through mountains, where they encounter a wide river with a precipitous cliff and waterfall on the opposite bank. The monastic guide is clad in a red robe and has his palms joined. A person prostrates at his side. Other figures behind them have their palms joined in prayer for protection. On the upper right, a city is depicted. People with their palms joined circle around a large stupa in the center.
The mountain ranges are drawn in fine strokes and colored mineral green. The textured hillocks and rocks in the foreground are depicted with angular strokes. The nearer hills appear tall and steep, while the distant terrain appears smooth, with softly graded slopes. The mural is an important reference in the study of the development of landscape painting from the High Tang period (712–756).