Xi’an Tang Tomb: Illustrated Dharani

CHINA, Shaanxi, Xi’an; Tang dynasty

When a Tang dynasty tomb in the west suburb of Xi’an was excavated in 1983, these fragments of illustrated text were found in a gilt-bronze case affixed to an armlet on the right arm of the tomb owner. Though the original piece of silk has torn into many pieces, the content of the text and many of the illustrations are still clear. A Bodhisattva with three eyes and eight arms sits on a lotus throne in the center. Figures like this were common in Vajrayana Buddhist art during the Tang dynasty. On the left beside the Bodhisattva, a short inscription names the sponsor, Jiao Tietou. He is depicted below the inscription, dressed in a black hat and a long robe, kneeling beside the lotus throne. The Sanskrit text of a Dharani is arranged in a square 13 lines deep around the central image. Outside the text, there are illustrations of Dharma instruments including a vase, knife, axe, Dharma wheel, and conch shell. The objects rest on lotuses and are surrounded by flames.