Tapestry of Buddha as an Arhat

CHINA; Song dynasty

Set against a gray green background with circular motifs, this silk tapestry was created during the Song dynasty. It has a combination of imagery, poetry, sutras, and calligraphy.
The central image is that of the Buddha as an Arhat with a high forehead, bushy eyebrows, sunken eyes, a large nose, thick mustache, wide mouth, and a small beard. He wears a robe with a crossover collar and long sleeves and is smiling while bending forward as if greeting somebody. Above the figure, there are stylized clouds, a lotus, and a canopy.
Along the sides and the bottom of the piece, there are the Verse of Amitayus Buddha written by Xie Lingyun, as well as the Heart Sutra, together with extracts from the Surangama Sutra, Diamond Sutra, and Lotus Sutra, written by renowned calligraphers in different scripts.