A magnificent work representing the Paradise of Amit?bha remains in Japan as the Taima-Mandala Tapestry. It is most probable that it was made in Tang China
especially by the craftsmanship of the Imperial weaving factory. The outstanding correctness of its depiction also supports this idea. During the Gao-zong and the Xuan-zong periods
Tang emperors set up imperial temples
such as Dayun-si and Kaiyuan-si
in each province. And the group of handwritten s?tras of Dunhuang Manuscripts called “Chang’an Court S?tras” suggests that the Tang Court had produced those s?tras as standardized texts and distributed them throughout the land. This paper will present the possibility that the Taima-Mandala Tapestry might have been one of those imperial works and provide some insights into the Buddhist activities of the Imperial Court during the Tang Dynasty.
