Page 190 - Ming_China_Courts_and_Contacts_1400_1450 Craig lunas

Plate 20.2a Reconstruction of arch-surround of the Da Baoen Plate 20.2b Reconstruction of arch-surround of the Da Baoen
Monastery Pagoda in the Nanjing Museum Monastery Pagoda in the Nanjing Municipal Museum
different sizes. They are glazed primarily in four colours; inwardly facing winged goats on their hind legs. At the base
brown, green, yellow and black. By their similarity, these are inward-facing caparisoned elephants bearing flat-topped
finds confirm the provenance of collection specimens which lotus pedestals which seemingly support the weight of the
have long been thought to be from the pagoda, and their creatures above. The reconstructions by the two museums
unused condition supports reports of parts being made in differ. That at the Nanjing Municipal Museum is ‘taller’
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triplicate to provide replacement spares. Some of the original and, above the elephants, additionally incorporates inward-
spares may indeed have been used for repairs to the upper facing lions with raised paw, a combination that is said to
three storeys when in 1801 the pagoda was struck by lightning. symbolise the combined strength of the two animals. This
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The greater part of these finds are stored at the Nanjing reconstruction also incorporates more floral ‘spacers’ which
Municipal Museum from which four pieces were displayed appear to be designed specially to fit these side-jambs.
in the Ming: 50 years that changed China exhibition at the British Missing from both reconstructions are devas, young gods
Museum. Three of these exhibits are components of arch representing the sixth ‘perfection’, who in a full torana would
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surrounds. From the parts found at Mount Jubao, the two come between the winged goats and the makaras. These may
leading Nanjing museums (the Nanjing Municipal Museum yet remain to be discovered.
and the Nanjing Museum) have assembled tentative The reconstructions in Nanjing resemble some features of
reconstructions of these arch surrounds (Pl. 20.2a–b). high-relief figures carved in wood which embellish the top
The arch components depict Buddhist motifs from a and side of each drawer panel of a hexagonal sutra cabinet at
torana, a composition that frames depictions of enlightened Zhihuasi 智化寺 (Transformation of Wisdom Monastery) in
beings and portrays the ‘six perfections’ of the enlightened Beijing. This cabinet is believed to have survived from the
mind. At the top is a garuda, ‘the devourer’ and ‘lord of birds’ foundation of the temple in 1440.
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in both Hindu and Buddhist traditions, flanked by nagas, The objects in the Ming: 50 years that changed China
serpent spirits from the underworld. A similar composition, exhibition have other significant features seen most clearly in
employing differently modelled representations, appears on the piece depicting a winged goat. First, it bears on one side a
the arch from 1345 in the Yuan dynasty Cloud Terrace at location code of four Chinese characters reading jizi yiyou
Juyong Pass 居庸關, north of Beijing. 己字一右. Researchers at the Nanjing Museum believe these
Below this are outward-facing makaras, water demons are from a fail-safe numbering sequence based on the Qianzi
with trunks and upwardly extended tails, and next are wen 千字文 (Thousand Character Classic), by which ji 己 would

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