Buddhist texts: Project revival

Mile Shangsheng Jing dates back to AD 927 and is the second-earliest surviving printed document found in China. [Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

Three sacred Buddhist texts are now on display in Beijing as rare early examples of block printing in China around the seventh century.

Called "national treasures" by scholars, the texts are highlights of an exhibition of some 100 ancient and classic books from across the country, being held at the National Library of China.

One of the exhibits is a printed version of Mile Shangsheng Jing, one of the three sutras of Maitreya, the future Buddha. Dating AD 927 during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (AD 907-960), it is the second-earliest surviving printed document that has been found in China.

Diamond Sutra, the world's earliest printed book from China, is, however, not on display at the current exhibition. The Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907) copy of the Diamond Sutra, found in one of the Dunhuang caves in 1907 by Hungarian-British explorer Aurel Stein, is now part of the British Library.

The Beijing show has a Diamond Sutra copy that is not dated but has been traced back to the early 10th century by researchers at the national library. Among other rare books on display is a mid-10th century copy of Mile Xiasheng Jing, one of the three Maitreya sutras.