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Gold Sutra Container Inlaid with Pearls and Gemstones

Updated:2025-07-02
By:The Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies

Gold Sutra Container Inlaid with Pearls and Gemstones

The Gold Sutra Container Inlaid with Pearls and Gemstones dates back to Emperor Qianlong's reign of the Qing Dynasty. First, the craftsman made a rectangular box with gold and then inlaid it with pearls, rubies, lapis lazuli, and other gemstones to demonstrate a sense of imperial dignity. Opening the lid of the box reveals a painting of Sakyamuni and his two disciples, which features bright colors and vivid depiction. The painting was created by a royal painter.

As its name suggests, a sutra container was used to contain Buddhist scriptures. Stored in this sutra container is a Manchu version of The Great Compassion Sutra using fold bindings, which originated from the binding method for ancient Indian Buddhist scriptures written in Sanskrit on palm leaves bound with ropes and using two wooden plates as covers. As early as the Five Dynasties period (907-960), books using a similar binding method had appeared in China. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the method evolved: Palm leaves were replaced by paper, but the elongated and narrow shape was retained. Instead of piercing holes on the pages to tether them together with a rope, several pages were stacked together and directly clamped between two wooden plates, and then tied with cloth tapes or packed in boxes.

The sutra stored in the container, its original text from ancient India, is written in the Manchu language, reflecting the inclusive attitude of the High Qing era towards exotic cultures and beliefs.

金嵌珍珠宝石藏经匣

金嵌珍珠宝石藏经匣,清乾隆年间制作。先以黄金做出形状扁长的匣子,匣体使用宫廷的金嵌珍珠宝石工艺制作,镶嵌上珍珠、红宝石、青金石等,显示出皇家的富贵之气。打开匣盖,内侧彩绘有释迦牟尼佛与二弟子图,色泽鲜艳,细节生动,为宫中画师所绘。

“藏经匣”顾名思义,专用于存放佛经。此件藏经匣中存放着满文《大悲正经》,为梵夹装。“梵夹装”原指古印度把写在贝多罗树叶上的梵文佛经穿绳相连,再用两木板相夹的装帧形式。五代时期,中国已有与此类似的装帧形式出现。到明清时有所演变,书写材料从贝叶变成纸张,但仍保留狭长的形状;页与页之间不再穿洞系绳,而是数页集为一沓,直接用两块木板上下相夹,再用布带捆扎或用匣盒盛装。

这件藏经匣中,经书内容来自印度,用满文书写,反映了清朝包容不同文化信仰的态度。

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