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Reciting the Names of Manjushri

19th century
Artist/maker unknown, Tibetan
Printing 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.

Object Details

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