Issaikyo Sutra Manuscripts Made at the Votive Wish of Empress Komyo
- Date
-
制作年 AD8
- Title
- ボサツネンブツザンマイキョウマキダイ４
- Materials, techniques and shape
- 紙本墨書
- Collections
- Century Akao Collection
- Depository
- Institute of Oriental Classics (Shido Bunko) Campus Mita
- Ref. number
- AW-CEN-001211-0000
- License
- CC BY Images license
- Creditline
-
慶應義塾（センチュリー赤尾コレクション）
- URL
- Classification
- Art
- AI Tagging
- Handwriting Font Wood Rectangle Writing
This copied sutra shows a transcript of one volume from an Issaikyo, or a complete set of Buddhist scriptures. Such an ambitious endeavor was initiated by Empress Komyo (701-760) to pay homage to the departed souls of her father, Fujiwara-no-Fuhito (659-720), and her mother, Tachibana-no-Michiyo; as a prayer for the safe and secure reign of her consort, Emperor Shomu, and for loyalty from her subjects; as a votive for the salvation of the public tormented with daily wants and suffering; and in praise of the eternal path of light made way by Buddha’s wisdom. An Issaikyo (lit. “all and entire scriptures”) was comprised of 5048 hand-copied scrolls of Buddhist scriptures and other sacred books. Empress Komyo commissioned the copying of an Issaikyo twice, once on May 1st, 740, and again on May 11th, 743. The exhibited segment, with the date “First of May, 12th Year of Tempyo” (740) in the postscript, is known as the “First of May Sutra.” The grandiose task of copying the Issaikyo actually was started in 736, modeled after the 5000-some volumes which Priest Genbo had brought over in the previous year. Sutra transcribing continued until around 749, presumably resulting in some 7000 handscrolls. Under vigorous control and supervision by the Empress’s Office, the systematic task resulted, in terms of quality and quantity, in the Issaikyo copies most representative of the Nara Dynasty.The copies were executed by many sutra calligraphers, whose style shows the obvious influence of the Sui and Tang dynasties (7-8th c.) of China. The writings, on yellow and sometimes white Amur cork-dyed paper, are highly admired as some the best among the ancient Nara sutra manuscripts.
Overview
Rights
Depository and ID
Components
OPEN DATADESIGN
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Details
Identifiers
- Title (EN)
- Issaikyo Sutra Manuscripts Made at the Votive Wish of Empress Komyo
Physical description
- Materials, techniques and shape
-
Materials きはだ染め紙／軸は漆塗
- Attachments
- 二重箱
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