Double-Gourd Vase, Ming dynasty, Jiajing period (1522-1566)
Covered Octagonal Box, Ming dynasty, Wanli Period (1573-1620)
Lobed Bowl, Ming dynasty, Wanli Period (1573-1620), Late 16th - early 17th century
Wine Pot with Lid, Ming dynasty, Wanli Period (1573-1620), Early 17th century
Basin, Ming dynasty, Wanli Period (1573-1620)
Basin, Ming dynasty, Wanli Period (1573-1620). Cloisonné on copper, 2 3/8 x 14 1/4 inches (6 x 36.2 cm). Bequest of Miss Mary Lewis, 1909; 1909-17© 2017 Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Woven Textile, Ming dynasty, Wanli Period (1573-1620), Late 16th century
Woven Textile, Ming dynasty, Wanli Period (1573-1620), Late 16th century. Silk figured satin, 15 3/8 x 9 13/16 inches (39 x 25 cm). Purchased with funds contributed by Joseph Wasserman, 1929; 1929-42-17© 2017 Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Sutra Cover, Ming dynasty, Wanli Period (1573-1620), 16th - early 17th century
Sutra Cover, Ming dynasty, Wanli Period (1573-1620), 16th - early 17th century. Plain weave with supplementary gold strips, running rabbits and swastika, 13 3/8 × 5 inches (34 × 12.7 cm). Purchased with the John T. Morris Fund from the Carl Schuster Collection, 1940; 1940-4-379© 2017 Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Buddhist scriptures, or sutras, that are bound accordion-style are often protected with covers composed of paperboard wrapped in decorative silk. Titles and volume numbers appear on strips of paper adhered to the fabric. The use of silk for sutra covers dates back to at least the Tang dynasty (618–907), but most extant examples are from the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) and later, when the printing industry grew in China. In some cases, sutra printings were sponsored by the imperial government, resulting in superior editions based on texts from the palace collection.
Complex weaves of lustrous silk, sometimes highlighted by metallic thread, made possible a wide array of patterns and motifs. These include floral scrolls, Buddhist emblems, traditional Chinese symbols of blessings, and Chinese characters with auspicious meanings, all of which are also found on Buddhist ritual vessels and implements made from lacquer, gold, silver, and porcelain.
Cap Ornament, 1543, Ming dynasty, Jiajing period (1522-1566)
Cap Ornament, 1543, Ming dynasty, Jiajing period (1522-1566). Gold. Width: 1 1/2 inches (3.8 cm). Gift of the Reverend Albert S. Cooper, 1954; 1954-20-1© 2017 Philadelphia Museum of Art.