Jinsha Temple Huayan Pagoda: Illustrated Manuscript of the Amitabha Sutra

CHINA, Zhejiang, Lishui; Tang dynasty

This manuscript was discovered in 1956 in Huayan Pagoda. The bottom half of the manuscript is filled with text that describes the Pure Land from the Amitabha Sutra. In the upper half, there is an illustration of the description in the sutra. Three two-story towers representing heavenly palaces stand in the center of the upper register. The towers have doors on all four sides and are connected by bridges. In front of the towers, there is a lotus pond built with alternating black, red, and yellow blocks. On the right beside the palaces, Amitabha sits on a lotus throne flanked by two attendant Bodhisattvas, one of whom is missing due to a tear in the paper. Three figures on the left side of the illustration hold up offerings and walk towards the Buddha.