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Avalokiteshvara

late 9th–early 10th century

Not on view

In this print the bodhisattva holds a willow branch, symbol of healing, in his right hand and a flask of pure water in his left. He stands on a lotus pedestal atop a hexagonal base that symbolizes Mount Sumeru, the center of the Buddhist universe. The caption includes the instruction: “With pure heart, every morning, recite [the bodhisattva’s name] one thousand times.” The woodblock has been carved with borders that resemble the mounting silks of a hanging scroll.

Avalokiteshvara, Woodblock print,
ink on paper, China — This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Shengguan zizai pusa

Title: Avalokiteshvara

Period: late Tang (618–907) or early Five Dynasties (907–960)

Date: late 9th–early 10th century

Culture: China

Medium: Woodblock print, ink on paper

Dimensions: Image: 11 13/16 x 3 3/4 in. (30 x 9.6 cm)
Overall: 21 15/16 x 15 15/16 in. (55.7 x 40.5 cm)

Classification: Prints

Credit Line: On loan from the British Museum

The Met

Asian Art at The Met

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.