Sakra Assembly

CHINA; Ming dynasty

This mural is painted on a wooden plank from the house of the Mu family in the ancient city of Lijiang, Yunnan. According to an investigation conducted in 1950, many murals depicting, Buddhist, Daoist, and Confucian themes were painted on the walls of the house. Unfortunately, the house and nearly all of the murals have been destroyed. This image and a depiction of the Brahma Assembly are the only two artworks remaining. The attributes and appearance of Sakra are descibed in the Commentary on the Mahavairocana Sutra. In this painting, Sakra is presented in female form, wearing a decorative robe and holding a fan. She stands in front of a group of deities who hold canopies, fans, and musical instruments. In the lower register, there are depictions of seven deities of the desire realm. A female heavenly being scattering flowers is painted in the upper right corner. Colored clouds drift across the sky in the background.