Praying for Myriad Virtues

Ding Guanpeng’s Buddha Preaching, created in 1770, is one of the biggest paintings ever made by a Qing dynasty court painter. But up until today, this work of art, which is part of the collection of Berlin’s Ethnologisches Museum, has been largely ignored, even by Chinese art historians. In his book, the author Ching-Ling Wang, curator of Chinese art at Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum, examines the significance of the painting with fresh eyes. Taking into account the latest research, Wang reassesses this piece in terms of its artistic merits and its importance in the history of art. He raises questions concerning its function and meaning, and investigates the place it holds in the history of culture. In addition, this volume looks at the eventful history of the painting, describes how it found its way into the collection in Berlin and analyses its iconography and technique.