Indian and Himalayan Art A Volume of the Manjushri Namasamgiti (Hymn to Manjushri, Bodhisattva of Wisdom) Made in China, Asiaor Mongolia, Asia or Tibet, Asia Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), 18th century Artist/maker unknown, Tibetan, Chinese, Mongolian, and Manchurian Colors on paper with silk Currently not on view 1923-21-464 Gift of Charles H. Ludington from the George Crofts Collection, 1923 |
LabelPrinting Buddhist books is an expensive but popular method of earning religious merit-the spiritual currency believed to increase one's chances for a better rebirth in the next lifetime. A wealthy, multi-lingual patron commissioned this large looseleaf book, annotated in Tibetan, Chinese, Manchurian, and Mongolian scripts. The red ink, possibly made from cinnabar, costs more than black. Golden yellow silk brocade, a color reserved in China for members of the imperial family, covers the bookends. Printing or donating lavish Buddhist texts like this one is one method for paying for monastic rituals. |
