Yao Ritual Scroll

Description

In Yao Taoism, marshals guard the holy precinct against malevolent forces. In this painting Marshal Zhao, the largest gure, moves dynamically through the space above two smaller marshals, Ma and Zhang. In one hand he brandishes a sta and with the other he grasps the tail of a tiger. He is commonly illustrated as a warrior figure with bulging eyes and dark skin. Marshall Ma, in the lower left corner, is identified by the third eye located in the center of his forehead, as well as the triangular object in one of his hands. Marshal Zhang, in the opposite corner, is usually depicted as a generic warrior figure with a delicate mustache and beard.