Editorial / Suzaku painting fires imaginations.

Editorial / Suzaku painting fires imaginations Yomiuri A vivid wall painting depicting the suzaku, an ancient Chinese mythological bird that resembles a phoenix, recently was discovered at the Kitora Ancient Tomb in Asukamura, Nara Prefecture. The discovery of the painting of suzaku--one of the legendary animals regarded as guardian deities in ancient China--is epochal. Even among the richly colorful paintings found at the Takamatsuzuka burial mound, another ancient tomb located in the village, there is no work that matches the suzaku painting in artistic beauty. It is a miraculous feat that the ancient suzaku painting has been discovered in almost perfect condition. The artwork clearly shows a phoenix-like bird posing for flight with its wings spread. At the time of the …