ZONG XIANG GUAN YIN JING: ILLUSTRATED SUTRA OF THE GODDESS OF MERCY, THE LOTUS S

[China] Xuande 8 [1433]. Accordion folded Sutra, 10.5 x 29.8 cm., extended length about 15 meters long, [140]p., profuse illustrations, with 94 pages illustrations, balance of text in Chinese, printed on fine mica coated paper.A RARE EXAMPLE . *** **** *** . . MIAO FO LIEN HUA CHING: THE LOTUS SUTRA . . . THE MOST FAMOUS OF ALL BUDDHIST SUTRAS . . . DATED XUANDE 8TH YEAR = 1433 . . * A superb and marvelous folded scroll, lavishly illustrated with large, multi-page illustrations. This is the most famous and celebrated illustrated version of ZONG XIANG QUAN YIN JING, [Shi Wu Quan: Complete Chapter 15] i.e.: LOTUS SUTRA HUI XIANG GUAN YIN JING: SUTRA OF THE VISION OF GUAN YIN. Also known as: MIAO FA LIEN HWA KIN KWAN SHI YIN PHU SA PHU MAN PHIN KIN: The Saddharma Pundarika Sutra. The E SO KANNON KYO, or HOKKE-KYO or DAI NICHI KYO in Japanese. . * First known in Chinese as TA-JIH QING [The Great Sun Scripture] then after 725 A.D. known as the Fa-hua Qing [Lotus Sutra] or the ZONG XIANG GUAN YIN JING, and has always been known as the great foundation or Cannon of Buddhism, and is a religious classic of breath-taking grandeur. . *** PRINTING TECHNIQUE, THE PAPER AND MICA COATING: Printed by hand-carved illustrated woodblocks. This folding scroll is lavishly printed on mica-coated fine, superior quality hand-made Japanese mulberry paper. The R A R E technique of using mica coating is seldom used in Japan and is very difficult to accomplish. Mica ore is taken and then finely ground down to fine dust. This dust is then mixed with a "gesso" type substance or "sizing" which is applied to the fine side of the paper in a thin layer and allowed to dry and cure. The paper is then used in the normal way to be dampened and then placed faced-down on the inked blocks and rubbed from the back-side to impress the image of characters and illustrations. The secret is to not dampen to the point where the mica dust comes off in the printing process. Great skill is required to successfully accomplish this technique. Bound in the traditional Chinese sutra format or Jingzhe Zhunag. . *** RESPECT FOR PRINTING OF BUDDHIST SUTRAS: Being a venerated and respected Buddhist Sutra, extra cost was invested into using the best paper and the equally superb printing techniques with mica. This Sutra was printed with the purpose to be placed within the Buddhist Temple as the honored teachings of Buddha. Some great benefactor of the temple donated the cost of executing this Deluxe Sutra in homage to his faith and the Lord Buddha as a gesture of submission to the Buddhist Cannon and doing what was right. After this was printed, it was then folded accordion style into a narrow Sutra format, designed for a priest to hold in one hand, while the pages were turned, reading from right to left. Buddhist monks used this famous Sutra to read to the Sangha, the Buddhist community. The carvers of the blocks, and the printers alike gained Buddhist merit for their contribution to the work. It was also a form of piety to participate in the production process of this Sutra. . *** MATERIALS AND NUMBER OF COPIES PRINTED: The technique employed to print this great work was hand-carved cherry woodblocks, and is beautifully illustrated, an uncommon feature. The large majority of Buddhist Sutras were strictly text characters no illustrations. This fine example is printed with an exceptionally, strong and very clear registry and impression. Obviously this copy was one of the very first "pulls" off the wood blocks as evidenced by the brilliant registry and clarity found in the stunningly clear impression. Wood blocks generally had a maximum average "life-span" of approximately 200 copies before the blocks warped and checked to the point where they were unclear and mostly unusable. Last printings off bad condition blocks are clearly evident by the deterioration of the black or "key" lines or gaps in illustrations between images, and a general over all poor quality of impressions. Based on the exceptionally strong impression of this copy, is firm evidence of an early impression of one copy of about two-hundred total copies produced from these blocks. . *** THE ILLUSTRATIONS: Illustrated Sutras from this early period are RARE and were seldom done. The reason being that most Sutras were read by priests to other priests, but in this instance, this Sutra was illustrated, with the object being that it was not only to be read to other priests, but to be shown to the Sangha or Buddhist community members to give them a clear visual impression of the august gathering of those who came to listen to the Lord Buddha offer his teaching. The correct picture was worth a thousand words. . *** The grand and first illustration occupies some ten full pages in all to make one single and complete impressive view of the a Great Sangha, consisting of a large gathering of Monks, Priests, Arhats, Bodhisattvas and other disciples of the Buddha. The illustrations are separated by the Sutra, which is written in bold face large Chinese characters, easily read by near-sighted old priests. With a plethora of other fine illustrations of the Sangha, a host of Buddhist icons, Bodhisattvas and a variety of deities. These nicely break up the rather sparse text with a substantial and large number of superb illustrations. . The second and most important illustration is that of Avalokitesvara, or Guan-Yin in Chinese; Kannon in Japanese: THE GODDESS OF MERCY. She is shown standing atop a temple, above the seated Buddha, with her multi-faced form, turned in every direction in order to see all things and to save all beings, with her profusion of arms each with hand holding holy Buddhist symbolic objects. Her crown is of a "Hundred Faces" and she stands on a throne of fire. This is the Bodhisattva that grants mercy to those in need. . *** DATE COLOPHON: The last page shows a good colophon date of Xuande 8 [1433] indicating this was printed off the original Chinese woodblocks. . *** FASCINATING EXTRACT: Ours is the complete Fifteenth Chapter, an extract reads: "[part] 15: TATHAGAT' AYUS-PRAMANA: DURATION OF THE LIFE OF THE TATHAGATA and begins with: "I show the place of extinction, I reveal to all beings a device to educate them, albeit I do not become extinct at the time and in this very place continue preaching the law." . Sakyamuni is seen in various poses and displaying Mudras of enlightenment while seated upon his Lotus-bud throne. This is the greatest and Holiest of all Mahayana texts, and is always invoked at Buddhist temples throughout Asia. Although the spoken word of this Sutra varies with each language, the content and concept remains the same: "recitation earns virtue." This marvelous example is one of the longest illustrated Sutras, some 47 ft. or 15.66 meters long] with wonderful holy illustrations of the most important Sutra in all of Buddhism. . *** MEDICAL RELATIONSHIP: LeRoy Davidson in his monumental study of the LOTUS SUTRA IN CHINESE ART, Yale Univ. 1954, points out an item of medical interest in the below Miao Fa on page 91, paragraph 4 where he cites: "The panel is that of the paradise of Bhaisajyaguru, the Buddha of MEDICINE [plate 38.] This paradise is similar to that of Amitayus. As in the Pure Land of Sukhavati, there are no vignettes to identify the scene. Only the MEDICINE BOWL which is held by the Buddha provides the clue, for this is the symbol of Bahaisjyaguru. See footnote 38." Found in cave 8, Dunhuang. The compassionate medical Buddha often dispensed herbal medicine from his bowl to sickly members of the Sangha, the Buddhist community. . *** THE MOST FAMOUS OF ALL BUDDHIST SUTRAS: "The LOTUS SUTRA has inspired countless paintings and sculptures which illustrated its teachings...representing a history of Buddhism to the year 1000." Extracted from Davidson dust jacket notes. . Because this is the most important and famous of all Buddhist Sutras, more information can be easily found in books about Buddhism or Buddhist art. Works of this great value were occasionally bestowed upon the most loyal and generous benefactors by temple priests and monks. They are seldom found for sale on the open market. This fine example has been treasured and properly cared for over long life. It does NOT have the usual old worming, mends and damage commonly found in many books of this period. . *** CONDITION: There is a very minor bit of old worming to the indigo blue paper Chitsu cover, a tiny bit of the old worming has penetrated the first [of many] layers of the front and back covers but by Buddha's protection, the full text was spared and is still flawless without a blemish ! The Chuan/Chitsu folding indigo colored case has one of two ivory clips, and a few minor repairs to the inside. . *** OTHER IMPORTANT DETAILS: The cover title reads: ZONG XIANG GUAN YIN JING SHI WU QIAN in Chinese: ILLUSTRATED SUTRA OF THE GODDESS OF MERCY, THE LOTUS SUTRA, 15th Chapter complete. Known in Japanese as the JUGO ZEN: E SO KANNON KYO. This Sutra was donated by a pilgrim to the famous thirty-three Temples. A most precious and early example of fine woodblock printing by hand, on elaborate crushed mica-coated paper. Truly a magnificent example of the hand-made art of the ancient book. The complete chapter 15, but some reference sources cite this in Chinese as chapter 24; variant editions total the chapters in different ways. Regardless this one is clearly marked [chapter] fifteen. A beautifully illustrated Lotus Sutra ! . *** Color photos are posted to our website. . *** ORDERING DETAILS: Payment by wire transfer only, shipping by Federal Express, insured, signature required. . *** BIBLIOGRAPHY/REFERENCES: For background and more details see: * A. Matsunaga: THE BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY OF ASSIMILATION . p.111 et al. * J. Goedertier: A DICTIONARY OF JAPANESE HISTORY p.84 * K. Reichelt: TRUTH AND TRADITION IN CHINESE BUDDHISM: A . Study of Chinese Mahayana Buddhism p.52-53 et al. * A. Reischauer: STUDIES IN JAPANESE BUDDHISM * E. Reischauer: ENNIN'S DIARY: The Record of a Pilgrimage . to China in Search of the Law. * E. Conze: BUDDHISM. E. Conze: THIRTY YEARS OF BUDDHIST . STUDIES p.105-122 et al. * W. Neihauser Jr. THE INDIANA COMPANION TO TRADITIONAL . CHINESE LITERATURE: "...An important piece of Buddhist . literature. "Prof. * Philip Hu comp.: VISIBLE TRACES: Rare Books and Special . Collections from the National Library of China. * S. Edgren et al: CHINESE RARE BOOKS IN AMERICAN COLLECTIONS . In the above work on p. 92-93 is a similar item of . similar period that shows similar illustrations. Or an . earlier example on p. 80-81. * Bunyio Nanjio: A Catalogue of the Chinese Translation of . the Buddhist Tripitaka: The Sacred Canon of the . Buddhists in China and Japan, column 44, #137 is a very . similar item. With title: MIAO FA LIEN HWA KIN KWAN SHI YIN PHU SA PHU MAN PHIN KIN. * NARA NATIONAL MUSEUM. ARTS OF THE LOTUS SUTRA: Special . Exhibition 4.29-6.3 1979. This extremely valuable . reference covers a large number of wood-cut printed . sutras as well as manuscript sutras from the 8th . centuries, also identifies National Treasures from the . 7th to the 14th centuries. * A.F. Price: THE JEWEL OF TRANSCENDENTAL WISDOM [THE DIAMOND SUTRA], London 1947, Buddhist Society for a translation of this classic. Chinese title: Guanshiyin pusa pumen ping, or jing, or the Avalokitesvara Sutra. * J.L. Davidson: THE LOTUS SUTRA IN CHINESE ART for a general and very good background. The back of this Sutra has long inscriptions by Senn-yo Ji Kann, a priest who made a pilgrimage to the thirty-three temples in Western Japan in 1767. He carried this Sutra and held it up to the Kan-non [Goddess of Mercy] and made a prayer. His pilgrimage was sponsored by Yamamoto-ya Kauemon Yoichi & Ohisa of Osaka. The balance of the inscription is the Darani-Kyo or the Diamond Sutra. The work has 4 columns of characters per page. * W. Soothill: THE LOTUS GOSPEL: SADDHARMA PUNDARIKA SUTRA: MIAO FO LIEN HUA CHING, Oxford 1930 for a substantial translation of this work. In the Soothill translation, he identifies some 27 individual chapters. * P. Pal & Julia Meech-Pekarik: BUDDHIST BOOK ILLUMINATIONS, pages 248-261; figures 94-100. * A FINE AND EARLY MING EXAMPLE--EXCEPTIONALLY RARE COPY ! * .