Cleveland Museum of Art

Sutra Container

Date

1100s

Medium

gilt bronze with incised and high relief decoration

Culture

Korea, Goryeo dynasty (918–1392)

Department

Korean Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

This is a portable container once used to preserve a miniature Buddhist sacred text. Created by hammering the reverse, high-relief designs on both the front and back of the case depict a peaceful pond where young boys are holding giant lotus flowers in their hands, and a pair of mandarin ducks are swimming. Probably the playful boys represent newly reborn souls in the Pure Land. This is a portable container once used to preserve a miniature Buddhist sacred text, particularly useful for traveling Buddhist pilgrims.

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