Shanxi has a historical status in the art of stone carving, with many pieces of stone artwork, from 2,000 years ago, in the Western Han Dynasty (206BC-AD24). Its Buddha figures at the Yungang Grottoes and Tianlong Mountain Grottoes are world famous, especially those from the Tang Dynasty (AD618-907), with an elegant, plump shape.

1. Round squatting tiger (Han)

This sculpture, 71 cm tall and 134 cm long, was found in 1957, near the city of Yuncheng, Shanxi province. It is from a rock, common to animal sculptures of the Han, and plain but lively. It has a huge mouth, sharp teeth, and claws that give it a fierce, ferocious, and powerful look.

2. Column base (Northern Wei)

This base, 16.5 cm high, 32 cm across, with a hole 7 cm in diameter, dates to the year 484 (8th year of the Taihe reign) and was unearthed from Sima Jinlong's tomb, near the city of Datong, Shanxi province. It is rectangular at the bottom, round at the top, and has carvings of dragons flying through mountains.

3. Gilded, painted Sakyamuni in sitting position (Northern Qi Dynasty)

This piece, 40 cm tall, unearthed near Taiyuan, capital of Shanxi province, in 1954 is of Sakyamuni sitting cross-legged in tranquilly on a lotus throne, with a round face and a carved pattern with the halo above the head, all of its painted and gilded, a special painting technique.

4. Sakyamuni statues (Northern Qi)

These seven statues, 46 cm tall, were unearthed near Taiyuan, in 1954, with the Buddha, sitting on a lotus throne, painted in vermilion and covered with gold foil from head to toe. A boat-like outer covering is a pagoda embossment with flying Apsaras. The throne is has a lotus hand engraving holding a censer. The back of the niche bears a colored Buddha image. The carvings in the niche show precision and superb quality with magnificent decorations, producing one of the finest Buddha statues of the Northern Qi, in Shanxi.

5. Sakya head (Northern Qi) This 33.5-cm-tall carving, unearthed near Taiyuan, in 1954, is a perfectly round white marble head of Buddha, with open eyes, straight nose bridge, delicately thin lips, and slightly introverted mouth corners that convey a graceful, vigorous, noble character. Its incomparable work caused it to be mistaken for a consummate Tang Dynasty piece, when actually it is from the Northern Qi.

6. White marble coffin (Sui Dynasty)

This piece, 295 cm long and 200 cm wide, was unearthed near Taiyuan, in 1999, from the Yuhong site and dates back to 592 AD. Yuhong, originally from Yu, in Central Asia, came to China during the Northern Qi and worked there and in the Northern Zhou and Sui. The coffin is a combination of Chinese and Western styles, with exceptionally beautiful embossing that includes feasts dances, hunts, and travel, clearly showing a Zoroastrian influence from Persia, while other scenesare good evidence of a Central Asian connection, in style and artistic expression. It has vital significance in Silk Road research and for communications between China and foreign countries.

7. Standing Bodhisattva covered in cold foil (Tang)

This 57-cm–tall statue, unearthed near Taiyuan, in 1954, is a Bodhisattva slightly inclined on a seat with an "S" shape, with upper chest exposed, the left shoulder covered in silk, the lower par to which smooth. The figure is graceful, and the lineation fluent, though the gold foil and painting have mostly disappeared.

8. Nivana tablet (Tang)

This 302-cm-tall, 97-cm wide tablet was found in Linyi county, in 1957, with the engraving dating to 591 AD. Its key subject is Nirvana, with different tales represented, such as "Being brought up under the Nandas", "Double-tree Nirvana", "Expounding Buddhist doctrine for the mother", "Prophetic vision by way of the Double Feet", "Funeral procession", "Burning of the coffin" and "Emergence of pagoda in heaven". Its lower part has the names of benefactors and the middle is embossed. Its majestic scale, composition, and exquisite work give it artistic value.

9. Standing Bodhisattva (Tang)

This piece, standing 112 cm tall, found in Taigu county, is black marble and, in spite of the damage done to its head and arms, is worth noting for its exactness in shape and its muscles and bones. Its "S" shape seems to make its vivid and more beautiful and make it a masterpiece of Tang Buddhism, with robust flesh, slightly protruding hip, sleek lines, vitality, and liveliness.