The iconography of the best Buddhist paintings symbolizing compassion and elegance set in a grotto is no doubt that of the Water-Moon Avalokitesvara. Today, there are 40 known examples of this iconography dating to the late Goryeo dynasty and they reveal the structure of that period's religious beliefs. These images typically contain two main figures, namely Avalokitesvara and Sudhana. An outstanding exception to this general rule is the Water-Moon Avalokitesvara painting housed at Daitokuji in Kyoto, Japan. It is a delicate and detailed picture painted in colors and gold dust on silk, measures 228.0 cm in height and 125.8 cm in width. This scroll is presumed to have been made in the early 14th century of Korea's Goryeo dynasty. Unlike the usual two figures seen in typical Water Moon Avalokitesvara images, the Daitokuji painting depicts 12 people. These figures, rising from lower right to lower left, walk towards Avalokitesvara, each bearing offerings of food and valuables. This visually dynamic parade shows the people appearing from the sea bottom to the surface. Even though they constitute a small section in the whole picture, their detailed characters contain very complex symbolism and provide a story full of legends. Since the 1970s, scholars have expressed considerable interest in this group of tribute-offering people and various theories have been posited regarding their meaning. One interpretation has it that the Dragon King is shown here with his followers, an interpretation based on the legend of the Naksan Sacred Cave. However, concrete analysis and symbolism have yet to fully decipher the images. In general, the female with a basket of jewels behind the Dragon King has been interpreted as a palace lady, but she may well be considered his wife. Also of interest are the figure in the guise of the childbirth and childcare goddess, a dragon palace lady holding a magic pearl, and a figure who punishes evil and protects children from evil spirits. In addition, a few figures with animal heads and human bodies apper at the end of the procession and carry something to offer to Avalokitesvara. They must be holding sections of Chinese juniper, a type of wood treasured in Buddhism. This aromatic tree is thought to have some connection with the belief of casting and burying agallochs or alloes in the river or the sea in the 14th and 15th centuries. These iconographic features all seem to be directly represented and condensed in the Daitokuji painting. The holy spirit of the Naksan Sacred Cave may have been an indirect factor in the creation of Buddhist paintings in the late Goryeo dynasty. In this respect, the unique iconography of the Daitokuji painting enriches the significance of Korean Water Moon Avalokitesvara paintings. In sum, the symbolism expressed in the food-and-tribute-offering procession represents a harmonious combination of the Lotus Sutra with the Avatamska Sutra, and indeed, between Taoism and Buddhism.
