Mogao Cave 17: Dharmapada - Chapters 28 and 29

CHINA, Gansu, Dunhuang; Eastern Jin dynasty

This sutra scroll was discovered in 1899 during the Qing dynasty (1644–1911) at Mogao Cave 17 in Dunhuang. The scroll contains the Chapters 28 and 29 of the Dharmapada. The Dharmapada literally means the sayings of truth, and is a compilation of verses that the Buddha spoke as recorded in various scriptures. Of the two postscript lines at the end of the scroll, the first line states the sutra was transcribed by monk Jingming in 368, while the second indicates that it was recited by Jingming in 373. This is one of the earliest manuscripts kept in Dunhuang.
The scroll is written with a quick pace in a bold yet honest style. There is an unrestrained expressiveness that heralds the transition from clerical to regular script. Each stroke begins with the sharp tip applied directly and does not round off after upon release, resulting in the ends of the strokes being articulated as thrusts. Turns were also executed without lifting the brush to realign the tip. The brushstrokes of this swift and vigorous calligraphy are energetic and vibrant, and consequently a strong momentum and coherence fills the work.