Introduction
Emperor Qianlong was a devout follower of Tibetan Buddhism, and he believed himself to be an incarnation of Manjushri, the bodhisattva of wisdom. In fact, he used religious iconography to strengthen the majesty of his governance and to legitimize his political position. “Manjushri” sits at the center of this exhibition of oversize paintings, accompanied to its left and right by paintings of pine and bamboo, along with “A Conversation Between a Military General and a Scholar-Attendant” and a landscape painted in the literati style. These pieces will inspire museum visitors to recall the ways in which Qianlong and his ministers managed the affairs of state, while also bringing to mind imagery reflecting the emperor’s leisurely pastimes, enjoying the arts and nourishing his mind and spirit.