Table screen with Bodhidharma crossing waves on a reed
During his tour of southern China in 1765, the Qianlong emperor visited Jinshan, a small island in the Yangtze River, where Bodhidharma, the founder of Zen Buddhism, was said to have crossed the river on a single stalk of reed. Inspired by this legend, the emperor composed a poem praising the patriarch and created a painting of the island. Later, he commissioned this jade plaque, which features his poem and an image of Bodhidharma on the front and his painting of the island on the back.
Artwork Details
- 清乾隆 碧玉達摩一葦渡江圖插屏
- Title: Table screen with Bodhidharma crossing waves on a reed
- Period: Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Qianlong period (1736–95)
- Culture: China
- Medium: Jade (nephrite)
- Dimensions: Diam. 12 in. (30.5 cm)
- Classification: Jade
- Credit Line: Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902
- Object Number: 02.18.688
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
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17th–18th century
dated 1774
18th century
17th century
17th–18th century
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