This paper connects the visual depictions of Dali Kingdom 大理 (937–1253) rulers in the Dali-produced Painting of Buddhist Images (Fanxiang juan 梵像卷) with traditions of imperial support and legitimation connected to the Scripture for Humane Kings (Renwang jing
仁王經), a text that was integral to the state-protection Buddhism of the
Chinese Tang (618–907) dynasty. Arguing that the expression of the Dali
rulers in the painting as “Humane Kings” served to elevate the status of
the Dali ruler over and above that of the Chinese Song 宋 dynasty
(960–1279) ruler, the study shows how procedures of Buddhist statecraft
are constructed in hybrid and regionally-specific ways in order to serve
localized political narratives and programs of state legitimation.
Specifically, in the case of Dali, such procedures allowed for the
independent assertion of imperial authority and cultural distinctiveness
against the backdrop of China.