Defensive Armor of the T'ang Period 297 



ment in clay figures without the mythological attributes of the bull or 

 demon; these are purely armored knights or guardians. But the 

 derivation of this type is unmistakable. The demoniacal expression 

 in the face of the tall figure (Plate LVI) — the mouth is agape, as if he 

 were represented shouting — reveals his affinity with the group of the 

 God of Death. His style of hair-dressing is the same as that in the 

 figure on Plate L, and he is armored in the same manner as the preceding 

 images. Such a demon-like creature is disclosed also by the warrior 

 on Plate LVI I, with very elaborate body armor consisting of large plas- 

 tron and dossiere of metal, connected by leather straps running over the 

 shoulders. It is plainly visible how the two breastplates join together 

 in the middle. He wears a high collar and turned-up sleeves, animal- 

 heads being brought out on the upper arms; the waist is narrow and 

 tied by leather straps, and an apron of plate mail is hidden under the 

 garment. 



Finally we come to clay figures which are plainly knights or guardians 

 armored cap-a-pie, without any mythological reminiscence (Plates 

 LVIII-LX). 



In Japan, types exist which are related to the Chinese clay figures 

 already described. These are of highly artistic qualities, and show us 

 that in the T'ang period a Buddhist school must have flourished, the 

 tradition of which embraced the whole of eastern Asia. Two examples 

 are here selected. The one is a clay figure, originally colored, in the 

 Todai temple in Nara, founded in the middle of the eighth century 

 (Fig. 46). l This remarkable statue is justly dated by the Japanese in 

 the eighth century (T'ang period). Head-dress and armor, as well as 

 pose of hands and feet, closely agree with those of the Chinese types; 

 here we observe that the raised hand was indeed grasping a weapon. 

 The Japanese name this figure Dhritarashtra, one of the four Maharaja or 

 Lokapala of Hindu mythology guarding the world-mountain Sumeru. 

 Another very similar statue (Fig. 47)/ likewise and justly attributed to 

 the eighth century, is named Virupaksha, the third of the four guardians 

 of the world. Both are posed on the bodies of demons. 3 The four 

 Lokapala are conceived as kings and heroes, and hence represented as 



1 The sketch is reproduced from the Kokka, No. 170, 1904. 



2 From the Kokka, No. 42. In the same manner Vajrapani is represented (Kokka, 

 No. 28, Plate V). 



3 The Japanese identifications are doubtless based on correct traditions, but I am 

 not inclined to transfer these interpretations to the Chinese figures standing on 

 demons as those mentioned before. We noticed that in some of these the bull-face 

 of Yama is still preserved, and that consequently this figure is Yama: hence we may- 

 infer that also the anthropomorphic figures standing on demons are derived from the 

 same type. Compare also the four wood-carved Lokapala posed on crouching 

 demons in Kokka, No. 165, 1904. 



