Marble Steles of Sakyamuni and Maitreya in the Northern Qi Period
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.