Samite with standing lions and medallion motif

Although this tapestry only has two colors of blue and white, its pattern is very magnificent. This tapestry has a ring made out of large flowers. Within the ring there is a standing lion. Outside of the ring, there are smaller, regular decorative flower patterns. These flowers are life-like. They have many leaves and branches, and are shaped like peony. However, the flower buds look like pomegranates. Although the lion within the ring is merely standing and is not so great in size, it still looks imposing and very powerful. The pattern of animals in a ring of flowers was first created in the early Tang Dynasty. It was called Lingyanggong pattern. It is a typical result from the combination of the pattern of animals in a ring of ornate beads, which came from the Western Regions, and the flower pattern which supports Chinese aesthetics. This kind of pattern was very popular. According to Notes of Past Famous Paintings, Lingyanggong pattern was very popular in the middle Tang Dynasty. Of course, its style also varies. This tapestry used Liao strand silk. It is evidently a unique feature of the late Tang Dynasty craftsmanship. Moreover, its pattern already reflected the free-style realism. It is likely a typical representative of what was popular in the late Tang Dynasty.