Turpan: Seated Bodhisattva

CHINA, Xinjiang, Turpan; Tang dynasty

This small banner was discovered in Turpan, Xinjiang. Works like this are a form of folk art that were carried by devotees and travelers for worship and spiritual protection. Both sides are decorated with similar images. The headpiece of the banner, adorned with a faded image of a flower, is separated from the body by a white decorative band painted on the same piece of linen. On the body, a Bodhisattva with joined palms sits on a lotus throne. A nimbus of colored rings surrounds the head. Black hair trails over the shoulders, and a golden crown encircles the topknot. A stole is wound around the arms. Five female figures in Uighur costume stand below the lotus throne. Three of them kneel; the figure in the center raises her hands to support the lotus throne and the other two keep their hands in their sleeves. The fourth figure is bent backwards with her head and hands touching the ground. The fifth figure is obscured by damage.