Mogao Cave 17: Traveling Monk

CHINA, Gansu, Dunhuang; Tang dynasty

This 9th century painting depicts a traveling monk bent under the weight of a large sutra case. A wide-eyed tiger walks beside him, appearing to be his companion. The monk has bright red lips and wears a white inner robe, a short monastic robe, and sandals. He holds a white staff in the left hand and prayer beads in the right. The sutra case contains a vast collection of sutras; the spindles of the scrolls are marked with red dots. A whisk, a banner, and a vase hang from a wooden pole projecting out from the back of the sutra case. Another pole projects out from the front; a golden rope is attached, and a small incense burner used to keep away insects dangles in front of the monk. A thin trail of smoke begins beside the monk’s forehead and rises up to support the lotus throne of a seated Buddha in the upper left corner. The sparing use of thin gold lines on the robe, trunk, hanging rope, and small Buddha figure adds elegance to this detailed image.