Zhao Mengfu Writing the Heart (Hridaya) Sutra in Exchange for Tea China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644)

Zhao Mengfu Writing the Heart (Hridaya) Sutra in Exchange for Tea

1542–43

Qiu Ying 仇英

(Chinese, 1494–1552)

China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644)

handscroll, ink and light color on paper

Image: 20.6 x 78.3 cm (8 1/8 x 30 13/16 in.); Overall: 21.1 x 553.6 cm (8 5/16 x 217 15/16 in.)

John L. Severance Fund 1963.102

Location: not on view

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Did You Know?

Qiu Ying was born to a peasant family, but his natural talent led him to a successful career as a professional painter with wealthy patrons.

Description

The Yuan dynasty calligrapher Zhao Mengfu (1254–1322) is said to have transcribed the Heart Sutra for a certain priest named Li in exchange for tea. Later, during the Ming dynasty, the professional painter Qiu Ying from Suzhou painted this scene for his patron.

Here, Zhao Mengfu holds a brush and has a piece of paper laid out before him. On the table is an ink stone, an ink stick, and a small water dropper. Drops of water would dissolve the ink stick into liquid ink when it was ground on the flat square stone.