This is the Garland Sutra in 10 juan, block-printed in Beijing in 1419 - one of the earliest printed sutras from the Northern Tripitaka, initiated by the Emperor Chengzu in 1407 after the removal of the Ming capital from Nanjing to Beijing. The brocade bindings are original. 1/3 
In an attempt to surpass the compilation of the Nanzang, or Southern Tripitaka, published in Nanjing in the early years of the Ming Dynasty, only the best artisans, and white cotton paper of the finest quality, were employed in the production of this Northern Tripitaka. 2/3
This set still contains the original covers and wrappers covered in multi-colored brocade in various designs. This type of brocade displays colorful woofs on plain background, so it is called weijin (the woof brocade). Such fine examples of weijin are extremely rare nowadays. 3/3
These volumes were previously in the collection of Cihui Temple.
The sutras were purchased in China in the late 1940’s by the scholar-sage Manly Hall for the library of the Philosophical Research Society in LA which was then dispersed circa 1996.
The sutras were purchased in China in the late 1940’s by the scholar-sage Manly Hall for the library of the Philosophical Research Society in LA which was then dispersed circa 1996.
