Beneath the tasseled lambrequin, the scaly, five claw dragon rises trailing coiled clouds on the dark blue ground above a five-point “mountain” within frothing surf. Below is a rainbow rendition of the Yun-tsao Tou clouds and rain pattern. The rug was intended to wrap around a monastery pillar and the dragon is completed when so positioned.  The dragon’s mustachios are particularly long and spiraled at the ends. As appropriate for a Buddhist monastery, the unusual dark blue ground is filled in with sacred objects including: pair of fish, flaming brocaded ball, knot and ribbon, peony or lotus flower and vase. This relatively short pillar rug may have been intended for a small local monastery prayer hall or may have been stacked with another on a tall, slender pillar. The dragon has the long snout characteristic of the period. Earlier pieces show a shorter, flatter snout.  The condition of this rug is particularly good as many pillar pieces are reduced at the top, losing some or all of the lambrequin.