Treasures of JapanA catalogue of Japan's designated cultural properties
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Important Cultural Property

Chapter 21 of Myohorengekyo (Lotus Sutra)

妙法蓮華経 如来神力品第二十一（一字蓮台法華経）
Chapter 21 of Myohorengekyo (Lotus Sutra) (妙法蓮華経 如来神力品第二十一（一字蓮台法華経）)
PLATE IImage: Kyoto National Museum, via ColBase — CC BY 4.0
At a glance — Calligraphy & Book · Heian period, 12th century · held by Kyoto National Museum · designated Important Cultural Property of Japan.

Fact Sheet

Designation
Important Cultural Property (重要文化財)
Date
1101–1200
Dimensions
Height29cm:Width102cm
Catalogue ID
cobas-4414

Find more

Each character, representing a buddha, sits on a colored lotus dais in this edition of the Lotus Sutra, which is dated to the late Heian period. These volumes in the Kyoto National Museum collection, the Nyoraijinriki (The Supernatural Powers of the Buddha) and Zokurui (Entrustment) chapters, are from the same set as the Ryoko-ji Temple Lotus Sutra, Volume 7 (in nine volumes, including the Amitartha Sutra and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva Sutra; missing Volume 6). The margins and column lines are rendered in silver, and the lotus petals are painted in pigments of malachite green, ultramarine, crimson, yellow, gold, and silver.

— Museum description: Kyoto National Museum (CC BY 4.0), via ColBase / Japan Search.

Record & Sources

Cite this page: “Chapter 21 of Myohorengekyo (Lotus Sutra)（妙法蓮華経 如来神力品第二十一（一字蓮台法華経））.” Treasures of Japan, catalogue no. cobas-4414. Kyoto National Museum. https://treasures.yamato-kenkou.com/treasures/chapter-21-of-myohorengekyo-lotus-sutra/ — entry last verified 1 November 2026.
Full record data (as published in the official catalogue record)
  • Genre: Calligraphy
  • Cultural property designation: Important Cultural Property
  • Category: Calligraphy:Category:Books:Buddhist texts|Calligraphy:Region:Japan|Calligraphy:Period:Japan:Heian period
  • Size: Height29cm:Width102cm
  • 員数: 1巻
  • 分類: 書跡
  • 時代世紀: 平安時代 後期 ・12世紀
  • 種別: 書跡:分類:典籍:仏典|書跡:地域:日本|書跡:時代:日本:平安
  • 法量: 縦29cm:横102cm

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