Sutra Cover, Peony and Lotus Brocade

Beautiful silk fabrics were commonly used for wrapping the paperboard covers of accordion-bound sutras, or Buddhist scriptures. Titles and volume numbers were written on a strip attached to the fabric. An intact example of a textile covering for printed sutras is shown on the [right]. These textiles were woven from colorful, lustrous silk and often accentuated with gold and metallic threads. Complex weaving techniques enabled the creation of a wide range of designs and motifs. This diversity of approach is seen in the sutra covers’ plaid patterns, floral scrolls and depictions of dragons and clouds.