Sutra of the Repentance Ritual of Great Compassion (Cibei daochang chanfa), Volume 1

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Printed sutras usually took the form of accordion-fold books, and they often featured an illustrated frontispiece. Legend states that the repentance ritual described in this sutra was instituted by Emperor Wu of Liang (464–549) to deliver his deceased wife from an unpleasant reincarnation as a python. This is the story depicted in the illustrated frontispiece, where a group of Buddhist monks industriously undertake the rituals prescribed in the sutra. The empress’s spirit floats free from the mouth of the snake, ascending heavenward on a cloud.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art