Mogao Cave 17: Mandala

CHINA, Gansu, Dunhuang; Tang dynasty

Discovered in Mogao Cave 17, this mandala was drawn in the late 9th century. In the center, there is a large lotus flower with multiple bands of petals forming a Dharma wheel. In the square surrounding the wheel, the four sides are labeled with the four directions, and the four corners are guarded by deities including Brahma in the bottom left corner, Sakra in the top left, and Mahakala in the bottom right. Between the deities, there are 16 lotuses and jewels.
The corners of the outermost square are inscribed with the names of the Four Heavenly Kings, and there are several other inscriptions written around the mandala. The gates in the center of each side of the outer square are painted with mudras and footprints, while the remaining 24 rectangles around the sides contain Dharma implements. The traces of folded lines on the mandala suggest it might have been folded for transportation.