The Traveling Monk

A total of 20 traveling-monk paintings have been found in Dunhuang. The scenes often depict monks walking accompanied by tigers. The scenes often depict monks walking accompanied by tigers. Eight of them are murals and 12 paper and silk paintings, which were brought to light from the Library Cave. These works are now held in various collections including Guimet Museum in France, the National Library of France, the National Museum of Korea, and Hermitage Museum in Russia.

The Dunhuang silk painting, The Traveling Monk with a Tiger, is considered the most exquisite of its kind. The Tang-dynasty silk painting, created in the 9th Century, is currently housed in Guimet Museum in France. The monk in the painting is dressed in a robe with a crossed collar, revealing a white undergarment at the neckline. He holds a wooden staff in his left hand and a string of prayer beads in his right hand. Various items such as an awl, a knife, and an incense burner hang from his waist, and he wears sandals over bare feet. Strapped to his back is a large bamboo basket packed with scriptures and resembling a carrying frame. A golden incense pouch hangs from the front of the basket, while a stick at the back carries a fly-whisk, banners, and a purification bottle. Above the monk, a small Buddha, seated on a lotus throne and identified as Ratna-sambhava, hovers on the cloud. Following closely behind the monk is a calm, obedient tiger, and nearby, birds pause along the road to watch.

The painting is delicately colored, with an elegant, subtle palette. Fine gold paint highlights the monk's robe and bamboo basket. The artist masterfully portrays the monk's steadfast determination as he carries his heavy load on his quest for wisdom. Despite the burden, his gaze remains resolute, and together with the tiger, he continues his journey. Historically, many monks traveled the Silk Road, playing a key role in the spread of Buddhism and the exchanges between ancient Chinese civilization and various other cultures along the Silk Road. This painting vividly captures the image of these ancient cultural ambassadors.

《行腳僧圖》

敦煌的《行腳僧圖》一共有20幅，畫面多數為僧人攜虎而行。敦煌壁畫中有8幅，敦煌藏經洞出土有12幅紙畫和絹畫，分別收藏于法國吉美博物館、法國國家圖書館、韓國國立中央博物館和俄羅斯艾爾米塔什博物館。

敦煌絹畫EO.1138是其中最精美的一幅。這件創作于9世紀的唐代絹畫，現存法國吉美博物館。僧人身著交領的法衣，領口露出白色的內衣。他左手執木杖、右手提數珠，腰間掛錐子、小刀、熏爐等物，裸足穿涼鞋。他背著一個滿載經卷、像背簍一樣的巨大竹笈，前方懸著一個金色香囊，竹笈的后方有一根木頭掛著拂塵、幡和凈瓶等物。僧人上方的云端，有一尊坐在蓮臺上的小佛像，此即寶勝如來。僧人的身后，有一只乖順的老虎隨行，路邊的小鳥也駐足觀看。

這幅絹畫設色淡雅、精細入微，僧衣及竹笈上以金泥彩描。畫家出色地塑造出一位求法之路上的僧人形象，他身負重物，卻眼神堅定，一人一虎執著前行。歷史上，有很多僧人曾往來于絲綢之路，他們對佛教的傳播是東西方文化交流的重要內容，《行腳僧圖》形象地記錄了這些古代文化傳播者的形象。