As a result of endorsement and financial support from the imperial family, Buddhist art grew more and more sophisticated, as reflected by the meticulously carved scenes on this statue
period of division
Chinese stone funerary couches represent a rare type of burial furniture for the deceased
Base of a funerary couch
A monumental limestone carving depicts a heavenly realm brimming with Buddhist deities.
Western Paradise of the Buddha Amitabha
Few migrants’ lives along the ancient Silk Road have been known in such detail as those of Wirkak (Shi Jun) and Wiyushi (Kang Shi)
The Wirkak (Shi Jun) Sarcophagus
The Period of Division (220–589) witnessed a flourishing of culture, ideas, and art comparable to that of the European Renaissance.
Period of Division (220–589 C.E.), an introduction
Imagine peering into a cave and seeing a monumental carved Buddha peer right back at you.
Yungang grottoes
Dressed in robes and adorned with jewels, this princely figure has foregone nirvana, maintaining earthly ties.
Bodhisattva, probably Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin)
This cave complex reveals how Northern Wei and early Tang rulers used Buddhist imagery to assert authority.
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