Pillar rug with dragon

In imperial China, woven carpets were used to decorate columns and floors in large formal buildings such as palaces, temples, and monasteries. The style of this particular rug indicates that it was likely once hung at a Tibetan Buddhist monastery. Imagine the visual impact of a series of dragons appearing on the columns in a dimly lit and large interior—the effects must have been striking.

Unlike many types of imperial porcelain and decorative arts made for the court, these carpets often do not have imperial reign marks, so they must be dated by style. The prominent, wild mane of the dragon and the sawtooth pattern lining its jaws on this example are typical of the oldest pillar rugs. The wide band of plain weave at the top of the rug, to which a looped band is attached for securing the rug to a pillar, also suggests an early date in the Qing dynasty.