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 NecklaceGold, red opal, lapis lazuli, tourmaline, pearl Sui dynasty, dated 608 Excavated from Tomb of Li Jingxun, Xian Shaanxi Province National Museum of China 
Bird-Headed Ewer with Molded Decoration Celadon Tang dynasty, c. 7th century Thought to have been excavated from Jixian, Henan Province The Palace Museum Beijing |
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Female Figure Color on wood, silk Tang dynasty, 7th century Excavated from Tomb 206, Astana, Turfan, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum |
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 The rulers of the Tang dynasty, which followed the period of the unification of China under the Sui in the 6th century, subdued the nomadic tribes of the North Asian grasslands, defeated the Gaochang kingdom of Outer Asian, and gained control over the Eastern Turks. By the 7th century, the Tang dominated the northern routes of the Western Regions and built an empire. Its capital Chang'an (now Xian) was a cosmopolitan center, which drew together envoys, merchants, and artisans from its tributary states as well as from areas such as Central Asia and Iran. In the first half of the 8th century, at the zenith of its international and cultural exchange, the Tang produced imaginative and colorful ceramic figurines and other objects and three-colored glaze ware, and incorporated many motifs from Central Asia and Southeast Asia on their metal ware and textiles. Many of the designs represented auspicious patterns, which had their origins in traditional spiritual symbols. New motifs were also created. The exquisite and expressive figure paintings on the walls of tombs exude liveliness, and the images of landscapes drawn with a sense of perspective became an independent theme in painting. |
 Platter with Deer Motif Gilt Silver Tang dynasty, 8th century Excavated at Dayejiyu, Kuancheng, Hebei Province Hebei Provincial Museum |
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 Seated Buddha in Meditation Gilt bronze Wu Hu or Sixteen Kingdoms period, 4th century Excavated at Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province Hebei Provincial Museum  Standing Buddha Shakyamuni Gilt bronze Northern Wei dynasty, inscribed 475 Excavated at Manchang, Hebei Province Hebei Provincial Museum |
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Covered Jar with Winged Figurines Celadon with iron-painted design Three Kingdoms period, latter half of 3rd century Excavated at Yuhuatai, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province Nanjing City Museum |
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| Seated Bodhisattva in Pensive Pose Color and gold foil on limestone Northern Qi dynasty, mid to latter half of 6th century Excavated at Longdingsi, Qingzhou, Shandong Province |
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 In the Three Kingdoms period (220-265), Buddhist images, which were introduced during the Latter Han dynasty, began to take forms similar to traditional Chinese deities and immortals, such as the Queen Mother of the West. During the following period of the Sixteen Kingdoms, gilt bronze Gandharan-style buddhas, transmitted to China via the land routes of the Silk Road, came to be produced, and voluminous Mahayana sutras, introduced by monks from the Western Regions, were translated into Chinese. The Northern Wei (386-534) rulers, who unified northern China, became devout Buddhists, commissioning large-scale projects, such as constructing the Yungang and Longmen grottoes and spreading Buddhism among the people. Their Han-style government policy prescribed Buddhist sculptures to be adorned in stately Chinese-style robes. Beginning with the Sui dynasty, from the late 5th to 6th centuries, Indian Gupta-style images were introduced to China via the sea routes of the Silk Road, influencing new stylistic expressions such as thin, elegant, flowing robes. These transition periods in Buddhist art culminated in the Tang dynasty with the progression towards a more universal style that emphasized realism and massive expressions. |
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Standing Bodhisattva Color and gold foil on limestone Sui dynasty Excavated at Longdingsi, Qingzhou, Shandong Province Qingzhou City Museum |
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