Shalu Monastery Central Hall Circumambulation Passage: Dance

CHINA, Tibet, Shigatse

This 14th century mural on the wall of the circumambulation passage on the first story of the central hall at Shalu Monastery is based on the Jataka of Dancers written by Rangjung Dorje.
In the center of the mural, a dancer wearing a short-sleeved blouse and a colorful striped skirt stands posed on a platform, surrounded by a group of six musicians playing instruments including a drum and cymbals. Below the stage, there are five male figures. The man in the center dances with a feathered fan in hand.
Two rooms, each holding three people, are painted in the upper corners. Towers stand in the lower corners. In the tower on the left, there are two people on the first story and four women on the second story. The vermilion door on the first story of the tower on the right is closed, and there are five women on the second story. The red background is decorated with flowers and animals. The figures, with their heads and bodies angled to watch the graceful movements of the central dancer, are painted in bright colors.