
Wood
This rectangular wooden box was originally in the collection of the Qing Imperial Palace. It was made in the middle of the Ming dynasty and measures 25.3 cm long, 15.5 cm wide, and 9.5 cm high. It is lacquered in red and filled with black images of intertwining lotus patterns outlined in gold. In the center of the lid, there is a Sanskrit seed syllable surrounded by lotus petals. The interior is lacquered in black and it contains two booklets of the Imperial Poems. The box is simple yet elegant, showing exquisite craftsmanship.
For more details, go to the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Artifacts, page 248.