Minneapolis Institute of Art

The Lotus Sutra in seven volumes

China

Date

16th century

Medium

Gold pigment on indigo dyed paper

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

The Lotus Sutra ( Saddharmapundarika: The Lotus of the True Doctrine ) was among the earliest texts to reach China from India and became extremely popular among Buddhists there. Paying particular attention to Avalokitesvara (Chinese: Guanyin), the Lotus Sutra is basically a restatement of the ways and practices of a bodhisattva. The calligraphy is beautifully executed in well-balanced kaishu regular script, and the illuminated frontispiece and end piece are meticulously painted with a colorful and stylized dragon motif. The appearance of dragons on Chinese Buddhist sutras demonstrates how foreign faiths and religions were adopted into Chinese culture—with adaptations that made them less foreign. The appearance of dragons on Buddhist sutras at this time also suggests imperial patronage or preference for Buddhism. Asia

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