Written by a scholar Liu Yong, this Heart Sutra (xin jing) is a shorter version of the Prajnaparamita sutra (Perfection of the Great Wisdom Sutra). This sutra was well-suited to be used by the scholars to practise their calligraphy for it was a little over 200 characters. The act of copying a sutra became a secular ritual for Yuan scholars and by the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, it became part of the curriculum of Chinese calligraphers.
