Tuokuzisalai Hall B: Prince Sujata Jataka

CHINA, Xinjiang, Kashgar

The Jataka tale of Prince Sujata tells of a prince driven into exile by his father’s evil minister, who took the throne for himself. Sujata cut his own flesh to feed his parents when the family became lost in the forest with no food. The ruler of a neighboring country sent troops to help the exiled monarch reclaim his throne on learning of his filial piety.
The male and female figures on the right sit in similar positions and wear similar clothing. Even their faces are made from the same mold, although the heads are positioned differently on the neck. A similar looking couple is on the left standing under a tree. They are poorly dressed and have wrinkles on their faces. The child at the couple’s feet is playing with a pot. It is possible that the two couples represent the same people before and after exile, and the child is the self-sacrificing Sujata.