Prince Shōtoku's Injunction Against Taking Life

Original Language Title聖徳太子絵伝絵巻断簡

Series TitleThe Pictorial Biography of Prince Shōtoku

CultureJapanese

Datemid-14th century

MediumHandscroll section mounted as hanging scroll; ink and color on paper

DimensionsImage: 13 3/8 × 18 5/16 inches (33.99 × 46.51 cm)
Mount: 46 1/2 × 23 inches (118.11 × 58.42 cm)

Credit LinePurchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust

Object number76-29/2

On View

Not on view

Collections

East Asian Art

Terms

Gallery Label

This painting was once a section of a long handscroll that depicted the legend of Prince Shōtoku (574–622 C.E.). According to the legend, the prince witnessed deer hunting and then banned the act, symbolizing his compassionate Buddhist view toward all living beings.

Prince Shōtoku promoted Buddhism as an official religion in Japan. By the time this painting was produced, the prince had become the object of worship in popular Buddhist schools, and believers considered him an incarnation of various Buddhist deities and regarded him as a Buddhist saint.

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