Buddha's Conversion of Five Bhiksu
Medium
handscroll, ink on paper
Dimensions
26.7 × 110.5 cm
Classification
Painting
Department
Chinese Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Bequest of Mrs. A. Dean Perry
Accession Number
1997.92
Tags
male
About this artwork
This episode stems from the life of the historical Buddha, who, after his enlightenment, was initially hesitant about preaching his own doctrine. After much personal deliberation and prodding by deities, he finally relented. The first converts were the five guards who served him when he was still a prince. For Li Sheng, this is the pretext of the painting, which moves from the interaction of the bhiksu with the Buddha to a broader awareness of the vast surroundings of the scene.