Painted Banner, from the Han Dynasty
February 25, 2010
Click to see a larger view.
The “Painted Banner” marks the beginning of a mythocentric age, where people believed in a close relationship between the human and supernatural worlds. The beliefs of Buddhism are closely related to the tie between physical and supernatural world.
The idea of ‘heaven’ is shown in the top and horizontal part of the painting and is represented by dragons that are looping around each other. A deceased woman and her three attendants are pictured standing on a platform, with two of them offering gifts.
This offering distinctly shows the relationship between humans and what they believed they could do to influence the supernatural world.
Below the dragons and the woman is the section of the banner representing the underworld.
Click here for an artists rendition of the banner, in black and white.
