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Primary sourceArtifact1403–1424

Sutra Box with Dragons Among Clouds

1403–1424

A red lacquer box for Buddhist scriptures made during the Yongle Emperor's reign, decorated with gold dragons.

Made under his reign, this lacquer sutra box reflects the Yongle Emperor's patronage of fine craftsmanship and Buddhist culture.

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A long rectangular red lacquer box with a flat lid, decorated in gold with dragons and swirling clouds on the front and top. A gold metal clasp is fitted at the front of the lid. The box sits on a grey background.
Sutra box with dragons among clouds, Yongle period, 1403–1424. Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this source

What it is

This red lacquer sutra box, used to hold Buddhist scripture texts, was made during the Yongle period (1403–24) of the Ming dynasty. It is decorated with incised and gold-inlaid designs of dragons among clouds and has a damascened brass lock and key. It is now held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Why it matters

Objects like this sutra box show the high level of craftsmanship supported by the Yongle Emperor's court and his interest in Buddhist culture. The dragon motif was closely associated with imperial power in China, so its appearance on a box meant to protect sacred texts links religious devotion with the authority of the emperor.

Look closer

  • Why would dragons, a symbol of imperial power, be used to decorate a box for religious texts?
  • What does the fine lacquer work and gold inlay suggest about who commissioned this object?
  • What might the choice of materials tell us about how valuable or sacred the contents were considered?

This artifact is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Yongle Emperor on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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