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Tiangong Louge in Eastern Pure Land Illustrations You & Zhu

There are two points worth noting in this second General Buddhist Commander in the
Sutra illustration: first, special expression Guiyi Arm, cultivated discipline, meditation,
modes of the Healing Master are explored. and wisdom, and was a Dunhuang Buddhist
There is a streamline through which the leader. Meanwhile, Zhai Farong was also a
rainbow bridge connects Sanmen, bell towers, medical Buddhist monk “proficient in the
scripture towers, and balconies on the front Shennong Bencao Jing (The Divine Farmer's
corridor of the Sutra illustration. There is a Materia Medical Classic) and eight medical
streamline through which the rainbow bridge skills.” He practiced medicine for the general
connects pavilion-shaped corner towers and public, healing diseases, and promoting the
balconies on the rear corridor [Figure 12a]. theory of law, with a good reputation. This is
The burning lamp on the balcony and a pair the cave of meritorious virtues for celebrating
of flagpoles with a floating banner can be his becoming of General Buddhist
considered as burning lamps to pray for good Commander.
luck and avoid disasters. Second, the hall
body has changed to a pagoda, and the pagoda
is special-shaped whose upper and lower
stories have bent columns. According to the
analysis of Xiao Mo, the morphology of this
pagoda is a shadow of “inverted bowl,” and
regarded as esoteric Buddhism with reference
to Tahoto (multiple-treasure pagoda) and thus
named “esoteric Buddhist pagoda.”
Considering that the elements of esoteric
Buddhism were introduced during the
Tibetans’ occupation. This assertion may be
justified.

4.4 Healing Master Sutra Illustration of
Cave 85 in Dunhuang Mogao Caves
(Figure 16 in the Late-Tang Dynasty)
In Dunhuang studies, the period of late Tang Figure 16. Healing Master Sutra illustration of Cave
dynasty is usually demarcated as 848‒ 85 in Dunhuang Mogao Caves. Source: Chinese Rock
914when Zhang Yichao led the crowd to rise Cave: Dunhuang Mogao Caves Ⅴ by Dunhuang
Academy.
up and the Tang Imperial Court appointed
him regional military governor (Jiedushi) of The form of this cave belongs to the
the Guiyi Arm, also known as the Guiyi Arm Buddhist altar-centered type, with three Sutra
period. There are 33 Healing Master Sutra illustrations on the south wall: Returning
illustrations in the rock caves that were Favor Sutra, Amitabha Sutra, and Diamond
chiseled during more than 60 years of the Sutra illustrations. There are also three
Guiyi Arm period, reaching a peak. These illustrations on the north wall: Avatamsaka
rock caves were mostly caves of aristocratic Sutra, Healing Master Sutra, and Siyi
families, and many of them were named after Brahma's Questions Sutra illustrations. The
the owners of the caves. Representatives are Healing Master Sutra and Amitabha Sutra
Zhao Yichao Cave 156, Suo Yibian Cave 12 illustrations are placed symmetrically at the
and Zhai Farong Cave 85. respective centers.
Cave 85 was constructed in the Guiyi The group of tiangong louge in this Sutra
Arm period of the late Tang dynasty, and the illustration belongs to “Two-rise courtyard
construction began in the 3rd year of the type with open foreground” [Figure 16]. The
Xiantong period and ended in the 8th year of foreground is an open composition formed by
the Xiantong period (867). Zhai Farong, the

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