Gold-ink sutras and their bindings

The Dragon Kangyur (Longzang Jing) is a Tibetan Kangyur written in gold ink, begun in 1667 at the urging of Grand Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang and the Kangxi Emperor, who had just begun to rule in person; it took two years and fills 108 volumes holding 1,057 texts. The museum describes the project as a way of gaining religious merit and also as a cultural and political strategy. The gold script is written on deep blue paper, on long loose leaves about 87.5 cm wide and 33 cm high, a format that goes back to the palm-leaf manuscripts of India. Above and below the leaves of each volume lies an inner board with gold-inlaid words of homage and seven painted figures, set with gems and covered by curtains embroidered in five colours of silk; together the inner boards carry 756 painted figures. Outside these come a yellow satin brocade wrapper woven with seven dragon roundels and, outermost, a yellow quilted cotton wrapper. Sutra wrappers woven to the order of the Grand Empress Dowager in 1667 were found sealed inside the lining of the yellow satin wrappers, where they had lain for almost 346 years.

Follow one volume from the inside out: leaves, boards, curtain, wrappers. Notice where the decoration is placed on each layer.

Are so many layers there to protect the scripture, or to show reverence for it?