A RARE CHINESE QUR'AN SECTION (JUZ' IV) China, Ming Dynasty,...
A RARE CHINESE QUR'AN SECTION (JUZ' IV)
China, Ming Dynasty, 17th century
Arabic manuscript on thick, burnished native Chinese paper, 56 leaves, 5 lines to the page, written in a bold, fluid Sini-Rayhani script in black ink. and diacritics rendered in red and black ink, the text framed within double red borders, opening double pages are finely illuminated decorated with intricate gold lattice and scrollwork motifs; Juz IV Surat Aal-‘Imran (Family of Imran), verses 92–200; Surat al-Nisa’ (The Women), verses 1–23; bound in its original dark brown morocco leather with envelope flap, blind-stamped in a distinctive Chinese aesthetic incorporating fretwork borders, cloud-scroll cornerpieces, and concentric rosette tooling, the central lobe of the upper cover is blind-stamped with the inscription 'Al-Ibtida' (الإبتداء - The Beginning), while the lower cover features a matching central lobe stamped 'Al-Intiha' (الإنتهاء - The End).
24cm x 19cm
This manuscript is an exceptional surviving example of Sino-Islamic codicology produced during the late Ming dynasty. While multi-volume 30-part Qur'ans were standard in imperial and regional Chinese Muslim communities (Hui), complete early sections in their original contemporary bindings are exceedingly scarce.
The calligraphic hand reflects the synthesis of traditional Islamic Rayhani script with local Chinese brush techniques, resulting in the distinct Sini style characterized by sweeping horizontal baselines, elongated descenders, and fluid line variation. The paper itself—thick, fibrous, and smooth—is characteristic of high-quality local rag and bark paper manufacturing adapted specifically for calligraphy.
What makes this volume particularly outstanding is its binding. Native Chinese leatherworking techniques were applied to traditional Islamic flap-binding structures, combining geometric Greek-key/fretwork motifs (meander) with central inscriptions indicating the functional placement of the section (Al-Ibtida and Al-Intiha). The visible wear on the lower corners offers a compelling historical trace of personal piety and active liturgical use within a 17th-century Chinese Muslim community.
Provenance:
Property of a private collector.
Estimate
Time, Location
Auction House
A RARE CHINESE QUR'AN SECTION (JUZ' IV)
China, Ming Dynasty, 17th century
Arabic manuscript on thick, burnished native Chinese paper, 56 leaves, 5 lines to the page, written in a bold, fluid Sini-Rayhani script in black ink. and diacritics rendered in red and black ink, the text framed within double red borders, opening double pages are finely illuminated decorated with intricate gold lattice and scrollwork motifs; Juz IV Surat Aal-‘Imran (Family of Imran), verses 92–200; Surat al-Nisa’ (The Women), verses 1–23; bound in its original dark brown morocco leather with envelope flap, blind-stamped in a distinctive Chinese aesthetic incorporating fretwork borders, cloud-scroll cornerpieces, and concentric rosette tooling, the central lobe of the upper cover is blind-stamped with the inscription 'Al-Ibtida' (الإبتداء - The Beginning), while the lower cover features a matching central lobe stamped 'Al-Intiha' (الإنتهاء - The End).
24cm x 19cm
This manuscript is an exceptional surviving example of Sino-Islamic codicology produced during the late Ming dynasty. While multi-volume 30-part Qur'ans were standard in imperial and regional Chinese Muslim communities (Hui), complete early sections in their original contemporary bindings are exceedingly scarce.
The calligraphic hand reflects the synthesis of traditional Islamic Rayhani script with local Chinese brush techniques, resulting in the distinct Sini style characterized by sweeping horizontal baselines, elongated descenders, and fluid line variation. The paper itself—thick, fibrous, and smooth—is characteristic of high-quality local rag and bark paper manufacturing adapted specifically for calligraphy.
What makes this volume particularly outstanding is its binding. Native Chinese leatherworking techniques were applied to traditional Islamic flap-binding structures, combining geometric Greek-key/fretwork motifs (meander) with central inscriptions indicating the functional placement of the section (Al-Ibtida and Al-Intiha). The visible wear on the lower corners offers a compelling historical trace of personal piety and active liturgical use within a 17th-century Chinese Muslim community.
Provenance:
Property of a private collector.
Estimate
Time, Location
Auction House
