ID: 700009001 Page link: http://vocab.getty.edu/page/cona/700009001	Record Type: Movable Work
Images: 1

Altar Diagram, Uṣnīṣavijaya Dhāraṇī (drawing (visual work); unknown Tang dynasty; ca. 9th/10th century; British Museum (London, Greater London, England, United King...)

Note: From Mogao Grottoes Cave 17, Dunhuang, Gansu Province. Front Painted diagram, identifying various parts of an altar, prepared for recitation of Usnisa-vija-yadharani (incantation). This diagram appears to document a three-dimensional altar that was established, as the vertical inscription at the top indicates, for the recitation of the Incantation of Glory, an incantation in wide circulationin China by the 8th century. The circular bowls on the altar are for incense and water, and there are also lamps and vases. An image of the Buddha is placed at the centre. The officiatiant is seated at the south side of the altar (the bottom of the diagram) with another incense burner.

Titles:

Altar Diagram, Uṣnīṣavijaya Dhāraṇī (preferred,C,U,DE,English-P,U,U)

Painting / Mandala / 繪畫 / 曼陀羅 (C,U,RP,undetermined,U,U)

Uṣṇīṣavijaya dhāraṇī (C,U,undetermined,U,U)

佛頂尊勝陀羅尼經壇 (C,U,Chinese,U,U)

Catalog Level: item

Work Types:

drawing (visual work) [300033973] (preferred)

..... (Objects Facet, Visual and Verbal Communication (hierarchy name), Visual Works (hierarchy name), visual works (works), <visual works by material or technique>)

diagram [300015387]

..... (Objects Facet, Visual and Verbal Communication (hierarchy name), Information Forms (hierarchy name), information forms (objects), document genres, <documents by form>, graphic document genres)

Classifications:

drawings (preferred)

Creation Date: ca. 9th/10th century

Creator Display:

unknown Tang dynasty [preferred]

artists unknown Tang (Tang cultural designation) [500204343]

Locations:

Other: Discovery: Qianfodong [7029798] Gansu province (province), China (nation), Asia (continent), World (facet) (Geographic)

Repository Numbers: 1919,0101,0.174

Current: British Museum (London, Greater London, England, United Kingdom) [500125180] Corporate Bodies (Corp. Body)

Display Materials: Ink on paper

	ink [300015012]
	.......(Materials Facet, Materials (hierarchy name), materials (substances), <materials by function>, coating (material), <coating by form>)

	paper (fiber product) [300014109]
	.......(Materials Facet, Materials (hierarchy name), materials (substances), <materials by form>, <materials by physical form>, <fiber and fiber by product>, <fiber by product>)

Dimensions: 44 × 30.7 cm (17 5⁄16 × 12 in.): Image in mount: 68.7 x 51 cm

Cultures:

Chinese (preferred)

General Subject:

religion and mythology (preferred)

Specific Subjects:

	altar (religious fixture) [300003725]
	.....(Objects Facet, Components (hierarchy name), components (objects parts), <components by specific context>, architectural elements, <architectural elements by building type>, religious building fixtures, <altars and altar components>) (AAT)

	Uṣnīṣavijaya Dhāraṇī Sutra [901001377]
	.....((Named sutras, Literary works: Philosophy, Religion, Named written and performed works, Literature and Performing Arts)) (ICON)

Copyright: © The Trustees of the British Museum

Provenance: Collected by: Sir Marc Aurel Stein; Acquisition date 1919 Exhibited: 2016 7 May-4 Sep, Los Angeles, Getty Research Institute, Cave Temples of Dunhuang: Buddhist Art on China's Silk Road

Inscriptions: Chinese Inscription: [Text identifying parts of the mandala; inclusion of the names Bhaiṣajyarāja, Bhaiṣajyasamudgata, Bodhisattvas of Healing, together with Avalokiteśvara and Mahāsthāmaprāpta, and officiatiant]

Related Works:

	former location was .... Mogao Cave 17 [700008877]
	..........rock-cut temple; N/A; begun 9th century

List/Hierarchical Position:

..... Movable Works

.......... Movable Works by class: drawings, paintings, prints, other two-dimensional media

............... Works at Mogao

Sources and Contributors:
Altar Diagram, Uṣnīṣavijaya Dhāraṇī	........ [VP]
	........ Agnew, Reed, Ball, Cave Temples of Dunhuang (2016) Cat 23
Painting / Mandala / 繪畫 / 曼陀羅	........ [VP]
	........ British Museum [online] (1999-)
Uṣṇīṣavijaya dhāraṇī	........ [VP]
	........ British Museum [online] (1999-)
佛頂尊勝陀羅尼經壇	........ [VP]
	........ Agnew, Reed, Ball, Cave Temples of Dunhuang (2016)

Subject: ....... [VP]

....................... Agnew, Reed, Ball, Cave Temples of Dunhuang (2016) Cat 23

Note:
English	..... [VP]
	..... Agnew, Reed, Ball, Cave Temples of Dunhuang (2016) Cat 23
	..... British Museum [online] (1999-)