HONG KONG — Bonhams will hold its Fine Chinese Paintings Sale in Hong Kong on Wednesday, headlined by a rare Northern Dynasties (386-581) manuscript of the Avatamsaka Sutra and a splashed-ink Lotus by Zhang Daqian.

The Sutra, an anonymous 5th–6th-century handscroll of ink on paper extending nearly 10 meters, is composed of 23 joined sheets of hemp paper from Dunhuang.

It belongs to the 50-volume Jin translation of the scripture — its earliest Chinese rendering and one of its rarest versions — and its archaic calligraphy, along with a surviving collation note, provides valuable evidence of Northern Dynasties sutra-copying practices. The estimate is HK$5 million to HK$8 million.

Zhang Daqian’s Lotus, painted in 1962 during the artist’s brief residence in Yokohama, stands six feet tall and captures the vitality of summer blossoms through his celebrated splashed-ink technique.

In 1963, the work was exhibited at Hirschl & Adler Galleries in New York as part of Zhang’s first solo exhibition in the United States, marking an important stage in his international recognition. It has been preserved in its original mounting for more than 60 years and comes from the distinguished private Belgian collection Dongxi Studio. The estimate is HK$5 million to HK$8 million.

Additional highlights include Yu Fei'an’s Great Wealth and Honour (1948, estimate HK$2 million to HK$5 million), Lin Fengmian’s Mountain Retreat (1953, estimate HK$1.8 million to HK$3 million), and Zhang Daqian’s Landscape after Old Master (1944, estimate HK$1.6 million to HK$3.5 million).

Previews run Oct 2–6 at Bonhams’ Six Pacific Place saleroom.