Kizil Cave 81: Prince Sudana Jataka

CHINA, Xinjiang, Aksu

This mural is located on the lower section of the right wall in the main chamber of Cave 81, which is located in the inner valley. Most of the paintings on this wall are damaged, but this one can still be discerned. According to the Extraordinary Stories from Sutras and Vinayas, Prince Sudana performed many acts of generosity. One day, he gave away a precious white elephant to a neighboring kingdom. As a consequence, he was forced into exile and slowly gave away all he had, including his wife and two children.
In this painting, a white elephant is followed by a person in red clothing who rides a horse. A horse cart carrying two people in the opposite direction is seen behind this figure. The clothing is painted with flowing lines, and the characters demonstrate a Central Asian painting style.