Important Cultural Property

The ‘Iimuro-gire’ Fragment of the Konkomyo-saisho-o-kyo Sutra

Data

Period Nara period, 8th century
Materials and techniques Handscroll, ink on paper
Size 27.6×192.4

Explanation

This is the oldest annotation of the Konkōmyō-saishō-ō-kyō Sutra, which was designated as the fundamental scripture of Tōdai-ji Temple when it was founded in 745. On the brownish hemp paper 13 or 15 characters transcribing vertically the text of sutra are written in big bold letters and the notes to the text are written in small letters divided into two lines. It is named after a place in Iimuro Valley near Mt. Hiei where the sutra was preserved.

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