The Maitreya Bodhisattva Stele is a Chinese cultural relic dating back to 563 AD, currently housed in the Minneapolis Museum of Art in the United States. This cultural relic is made of black limestone and has traces of paint. This exquisitely carved stone tablet, although small in scale, displays a complete image of the same theme as a large Buddha statue. In addition to the Maitreya Buddha statue in the center, the engraved halo, and the bodhisattvas on both sides, there are also flying celestial beings and dragons on the flame shaped backs at the top and bottom. The back of the stone tablet is engraved with a 69 character inscription, listing the names of the donors who commissioned the production of this work and dedicated it in 563.

The stele is a marble carving from the Northern Qi period. The Northern Qi Dynasty (550-577) was one of the Northern Dynasties in the Southern and Northern Dynasties in Chinese history. During the Northern Qi period, Buddhism spread and developed widely in China. Buddhist art works in this period often show a unique artistic style. The Sakyamuni on this stone tablet represents the past and future of Buddhism respectively. The Buddha Sakyamuni shows a kind smile with fearless and alms gestures, flanked by two Bodhisattvas and two disciples. Sakyamuni, also known as Gautama Siddhartha, was the founder of Buddhism and founded Buddhism in ancient India in the 6th century BC.