Mogao Cave 17: Traveling Monk

CHINA, Gansu, Dunhuang; Tang dynasty

This painting of a traveling monk and a tiger likely dates from the late 9th century. The monk has long eyebrows, large ears, and a faint nimbus. He holds a whisk in his left hand, and the right hand grasps a wooden staff with a dragon head carved at the top. A light red inner robe and a blue patched monastic robe cover the body. The monk carries a large bamboo trunk on his back. A ladle, a gourd, and other necessities are tied to the side, and a stream of incense smoke rises from the top. The tiger, with a distinctively painted face, walks beside the monk. The figures are painted with fine lines and vivid colors. According to the inscription in the upper right corner, the monk is identified as Ratnasambhava Buddha, and the painting was commissioned by Qing Zan for his deceased brother Zhiqiu on the 21st day after his death.