Sutra of the Great Demise (Mahaparinirvana Sutra) in standard script

Object Details

• Description

  Sutra written in standard script on nine pieces of paper with eight seams. The standard length of each sheet is about 19 3/8" with 29 lines of text; the first and 9th pieces of paper are much shorter. The scroll is not in its original unmounted state. It was mounted in recent times in a standard handscroll format with blank frontispiece paper and silk border.

• Inscriptions

  There are three collector's seals added to the sutra.The one at the beginning reads "Hsi Hsu Chung-fu yu lung so-te (Mr. Hsu Chung-fu of Anhui obtained this when he traveled to Kansu)." The two seals at the end read: "Pai-yun hung-shu-lou tsang (collected in the study of white clouds and red trees)" and "Pang-nai chen-tsang (treasurely collected by Alice Boney)."

  The scroll is neither dated nor signed by the calligrapher.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Writing, Carving and Rubbing: China’s Calligraphic Arts (April 4 to October 25, 2009)

  The Idea of China in Japan: The Tea Ceremony in Japan (December 19, 1999 to June 11, 2000)

  Masterpieces of Chinese Calligraphy (June 7, 1994 to March 20, 1995)

  From Concept to Context: Approaches to Asian and Islamic Calligraphy (July 28, 1986 to February 6, 1987)

• Origin

  Dunhuang, Gansu province, China

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Calligraphy

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

  The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The National Museum of Asian Art welcomes information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  600s, 500s

• Place

  Gansu province, China, Dunhuang

• Topic

  Sui dynasty (581 - 618), Mahaparinirvana Sutra, Art, Parinirvana, Chinese Art, Sutra, Standard script

• Culture

  Buddhists, Chinese

• Object Type

  Calligraphy (visual works)