Man Jae Long Temple Murals

CHINA, Yunnan, Menghai; Qing dynasty

Man Jae Long Temple is located in Menghai, a county in Xishuanbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan. Most of the murals are painted on the outer walls below the eaves of the main hall. In the upper register, there are paintings of the Buddha, deities, flowers, animals, and buildings applied in liquid gold. This technique is a unique feature of murals in Dai temples. Black and red paints are first applied on the beams and wood-boards as the base. Patterns cut from paper are then used as stencils for the application of gold powder or gold foil. Some of the most notable images are the Flower Deity, a floral mandala, a white elephant, and a black elephant. According to Dai folk belief, the white elephant belongs to the Buddha, and the black elephant belongs to demons. Having black elephants painted in temples means that demons have been defeated by the Buddha. In the lower register, there are scenes from the Life of the Buddha. There are also some unique illustrations of local Buddhist practice, including a festival celebrating the completion of a pagoda. Within these murals there are depictions of Dai customs, laborers working in the fields, markets and trading, and the story of the spread of Buddhism to Mengzhe.
The Offering to the Buddha is the most famous mural in the temple. Dai Buddhists in Yunnan traditionally make offerings of money and goods to temples during Buddhist festivals. In the center of the picture, the Buddha and disciples are shown seated within a monastery. Devotees crowd into the monastery through two gates. Outside the walls, more devotees play cymbals and dance. Considered to be some of the finest Buddhist artworks in Xishuanbanna, the murals in the temple depict grand scenes and detailed narratives with many figures. The compositions do not follow any set rules, and the layout of the images can be freely altered to suit the theme. This flexibility reflects the easy-going, creative nature of Dai artists.