This sketch, painted on paper in black ink with light colouring, depicts two ladies sitting opposite each another, their heads being encircled by nimbi. Both are represented holding various attributes: the lady on the left, who sits on a rectangular throne supported by a row of lotus petals, holds a foliated cup and a tray with a dog seated on it. The one on the right is seated on a dog or wolf, and has four arms, the upper two supporting the sun and moon discs, the lower two arms holding a scorpion and a snake. They wear a characteristic hairstyle, surmounted by a water-drop-shaped or peach-shaped headdresses that are probably made of metal.[2]
The drawing had been published in Jao Tsung-I's The Line Drawing of Dunhuang in 1978, but has only attracted the interest of researchers since it was displayed in the Sérinde exhibition in 1995.[2]
The peach-shaped headdress resembles the hairstyle of the Uyghur princess. The dress of the lady on the left, at least, does not seem to correspond to the Chinese fashion at the time, and both representing the expression of foreign beliefs.[5]
According to Jiang Boqin (姜伯勤)—a professor at Sun Yat-sen University—it is a piece of Zoroastrian art, and the four-armed deity is a Sogdian goddess worshipped in their Zoroastrian cult, whose name is Nanâ, or Nanaia,[6] the goddess originated from Mesopotamia.[7] Frantz Grenet—a French specialist on Sogdiana and Zoroastrianism—and the historian Zhang Guangda argue that the lady on the left representing Daēnā, the good according to Zoroastrian vision; the other one represents Daēva, the bad.[1] Jiang Boqin agrees with Grenet and Zhang that the deity on the left being Daēnā, but he determined the one on the right is the goddess Nanâ.[8]
^The saixian or sai-hsien (in Chinese: 賽祆) is a cultic practice,[3] a Zoroastrian festival celebrated by the Sogdians in the 9th to 10th-century Dunhuang. Xianjiao or Hsien-chiao (祆敎) is the Chinese term for "Zoroastrianism".
Referencesedit
^ abWilliams, Alan; Stewart, Sarah; Hintze, Almut, eds. (2016). The Zoroastrian Flame: Exploring Religion, History and Tradition. London: I.B.Tauris. ISBN9780857728869.
^ abcRussell-Smith, Lilla Bikfalvy (2003). "Wives and Patrons: Uygur Political and Artistic Influence in Tenth-century Dunhuang". Acta Orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae. 56 (2/4): 411. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
^Rong, Xinjiang (2013). Eighteen Lectures on Dunhuang. Translated by Galambos, Imre. Leiden: Brill Publishers. p. 73. ISBN9789004252332.
^Drège, Jean-Pierre (2007). Études de Dunhuang et Turfan [Dunhuang and Turfan Studies] (in French). Geneva: Librairie Droz. p. 64. ISBN978-2-600-01132-7. Zhang Guangda voit dans les dépenses de « papier à image » en rapport avec le culte mazdéen des feuilles « de papier pour peindre les divinités mazdéennes destinées au saixian ».
^"Cote : Pelliot chinois 4518 (24) – Deux divinités féminines". archivesetmanuscrits.bnf.fr (in French). Retrieved 22 November 2018. Elle ressemble à la coiffure de la princesse ouïghoure.
^Wu, Yu (2004). "姜伯勤《中國祆教藝術史》書評" (PDF). schina.ust.hk (in Traditional Chinese). Retrieved 22 November 2018.
^Gorshenina, Svetlana; Rapin, Claude (2001). "Chapitre 5 : Des Kouchans à l'Islam – La peinture sogdienne". De Kaboul à Samarcande : Les archéologues en Asie centrale. Collection « Découvertes Gallimard / Archéologie » (nº 411) (in French). Paris: Éditions Gallimard. p. 107. ISBN978-2-070-76166-1. Dans la peinture on rencontre ainsi des versions du Panchatantra, l'histoire de la déesse Nana originaire de Mésopotamie.
^Wang, Xusong (2013). . xjass.cn (in Traditional Chinese). Archived from the original on 25 July 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
External linksedit
Pelliot chinois 4518 (24) : Deux divinités féminines at BnF archives et manuscrits(in French)
January 01, 1970
sogdian, daēnās, also, known, sogdian, deities, french, deux, divinités, féminines, chinese, 粟特神祇白畫, 10th, century, line, drawing, discovered, french, orientalist, paul, pelliot, mogao, caves, probably, associated, with, zoroastrian, cult, sogdian, people, his. Sogdian Daenas 1 also known as Sogdian Deities 2 French Deux divinites feminines Chinese 粟特神祇白畫 is a 10th century line drawing discovered by the French Orientalist Paul Pelliot at the Mogao Caves It is probably associated with the Zoroastrian cult of the Sogdian people The historian Zhang Guangda zh a member of the Academia Sinica of Taiwan recognised this paper image as one of the pieces of paper depicting Mazdean deities for the saixian celebration note 1 4 This piece is part of the Pelliot chinois collection of the Bibliotheque nationale de France Sogdian DaenasChinese 粟特神祇白畫 French Deux divinites femininesArtistUnknownYear10th centuryTypeInk with light colouring on paperDimensions30 5 cm 37 8 cm 12 0 in 14 9 in LocationBibliotheque nationale de France Paris Contents 1 Description 2 Analysis 3 See also 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksDescription editThis sketch painted on paper in black ink with light colouring depicts two ladies sitting opposite each another their heads being encircled by nimbi Both are represented holding various attributes the lady on the left who sits on a rectangular throne supported by a row of lotus petals holds a foliated cup and a tray with a dog seated on it The one on the right is seated on a dog or wolf and has four arms the upper two supporting the sun and moon discs the lower two arms holding a scorpion and a snake They wear a characteristic hairstyle surmounted by a water drop shaped or peach shaped headdresses that are probably made of metal 2 Analysis edit nbsp Fresco of 10th century Uyghur princesses of the Kara Khoja Kingdom wearing similar hairstyle and headdress found at the Mogao Caves The drawing had been published in Jao Tsung I s The Line Drawing of Dunhuang in 1978 but has only attracted the interest of researchers since it was displayed in the Serinde exhibition in 1995 2 The peach shaped headdress resembles the hairstyle of the Uyghur princess The dress of the lady on the left at least does not seem to correspond to the Chinese fashion at the time and both representing the expression of foreign beliefs 5 According to Jiang Boqin 姜伯勤 a professor at Sun Yat sen University it is a piece of Zoroastrian art and the four armed deity is a Sogdian goddess worshipped in their Zoroastrian cult whose name is Nana or Nanaia 6 the goddess originated from Mesopotamia 7 Frantz Grenet a French specialist on Sogdiana and Zoroastrianism and the historian Zhang Guangda argue that the lady on the left representing Daena the good according to Zoroastrian vision the other one represents Daeva the bad 1 Jiang Boqin agrees with Grenet and Zhang that the deity on the left being Daena but he determined the one on the right is the goddess Nana 8 See also editXianshenlou Visa irasanga Guiyi Circuit Zoroastrianism in China Mogao Christian painting Nestorian pillar of Luoyang Ancient Arts of Central AsiaNotes edit The saixian or sai hsien in Chinese 賽祆 is a cultic practice 3 a Zoroastrian festival celebrated by the Sogdians in the 9th to 10th century Dunhuang Xianjiao or Hsien chiao 祆敎 is the Chinese term for Zoroastrianism References edit a b Williams Alan Stewart Sarah Hintze Almut eds 2016 The Zoroastrian Flame Exploring Religion History and Tradition London I B Tauris ISBN 9780857728869 a b c Russell Smith Lilla Bikfalvy 2003 Wives and Patrons Uygur Political and Artistic Influence in Tenth century Dunhuang Acta Orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 56 2 4 411 Retrieved 22 November 2018 Rong Xinjiang 2013 Eighteen Lectures on Dunhuang Translated by Galambos Imre Leiden Brill Publishers p 73 ISBN 9789004252332 Drege Jean Pierre 2007 Etudes de Dunhuang et Turfan Dunhuang and Turfan Studies in French Geneva Librairie Droz p 64 ISBN 978 2 600 01132 7 Zhang Guangda voit dans les depenses de papier a image en rapport avec le culte mazdeen des feuilles de papier pour peindre les divinites mazdeennes destinees au saixian Cote Pelliot chinois 4518 24 Deux divinites feminines archivesetmanuscrits bnf fr in French Retrieved 22 November 2018 Elle ressemble a la coiffure de la princesse ouighoure Wu Yu 2004 姜伯勤 中國祆教藝術史 書評 PDF schina ust hk in Traditional Chinese Retrieved 22 November 2018 Gorshenina Svetlana Rapin Claude 2001 Chapitre 5 Des Kouchans a l Islam La peinture sogdienne De Kaboul a Samarcande Les archeologues en Asie centrale Collection Decouvertes Gallimard Archeologie nº 411 in French Paris Editions Gallimard p 107 ISBN 978 2 070 76166 1 Dans la peinture on rencontre ainsi des versions du Panchatantra l histoire de la deesse Nana originaire de Mesopotamie Wang Xusong 2013 敦煌與中外關係史研究三十年 xjass cn in Traditional Chinese Archived from the original on 25 July 2018 Retrieved 22 November 2018 External links editPelliot chinois 4518 24 Deux divinites feminines at BnF archives et manuscrits in French Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sogdian Daenas amp oldid 1183416094, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
