Lotus Sutra - Chapter on the Parable of Medicinal Herbs

CHINA; Qing dynasty

This stitch-bound, single-fascicle calligraphic work of Prince Yongrong, the sixth son of Emperor Qianlong (reigned 1736–1795) of the Qing dynasty, ends with an inscription by his brother, Yongxing. The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs is one of the seven parables in the Lotus Sutra. In this chapter, the learning abilities of different practitioners are compared to plants. Though every plant is different in size, each receives an equal share of water whenever it rains. This equitable distribution is like the Buddha’s enlightening teachings, from which all sentient beings benefit. Yongrong’s work is elegant and carefully executed, and it can be considered one of the better examples of calligraphy from the Qing (1644–1911) royal family.
Yongrong became a marquis in 1759, a duke in 1772, and then a prince in 1789. He was appointed director of the Siku Quanshu Library, and was well-versed in poetry, literature, painting, and astrology. Apart from the Chapter on the Parable of the Medicinal Herbs, his calligraphy works also include other Buddhist texts, such as the Heart Sutra currently housed in the National Palace Museum in Taipei, Words of Buddhism, and the Mangala Sutra.