Inscription on the Painting of the Naga Girl Paying Respect to the Buddha

TAIWAN

The story of the Naga Girl Paying Respect to the Buddha appears in the “Chapter on Devadatta” of the Lotus Sutra. It is from this chapter that Chang Dai-Chien extracted part of the text for his inscription at the top of this artwork, which is a copy of a Tang dynasty (618–907) painting.
Chang’s character structure is eccentric and expansive, using the brush in a strong and forceful manner while imparting a unique, personal appeal to his calligraphy. The extension of horizontal and vertical strokes is representative of Chang’s style, but is derived from the works of calligrapher Huang Tingjian of the Song dynasty (960–1279), by whom Chang was influenced. Chang Dai-Chien was a native of Neijiang, Sichuan, but resided in Taiwan during his later years. Predominantly a painter, Chang excelled in illustrating landscapes, flowers, plants, and portraits. His lotus paintings were renowned and garnered international praise.