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Statue of Emperor Daowu, the founder of China's Xianbei-led Northern Wei dynasty in the position of a Buddha, Yungang grottoes, 453-495 CE. The statue is around 13.5 meters tall

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Statue of Emperor Daowu, the founder of China's Xianbei-led Northern Wei dynasty in the position of a Buddha, Yungang grottoes, 453-495 CE. The statue is around 13.5 meters tall

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Large Buddha inside Grotto 13 at the Yungang Caves. Northern Wei dynasty, 5th century AD

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Large Buddha inside Grotto 13 at the Yungang Caves. Northern Wei dynasty, 5th century AD

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Elephants, camels and qilins statues along the spirit way at the mausoleum of the Hongwu Emperor , the founder of the Ming dynasty. Ming Xiaoling, China

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Elephants, camels and qilins statues along the spirit way at the mausoleum of the Hongwu Emperor , the founder of the Ming dynasty. Ming Xiaoling, China

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At least 1400 years old statue of Budhanilkantha in Nepal. Worshipped by Hindus as Vishnu and by Buddhists as Avalokiteshvara. The statue stands 5 meters tall and is positioned in the middle of a recessed pool of water, which is 13 meters long.

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At least 1400 years old statue of Budhanilkantha in Nepal. Worshipped by Hindus as Vishnu and by Buddhists as Avalokiteshvara. The statue stands 5 meters tall and is positioned in the middle of a recessed pool of water, which is 13 meters long.

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The golden seal of the Empress Ashina, made in 579–580 CE with inscription "Empress Dowager Tianyuan" in large seal script. Ashina was a Göktürk princess who became an empress of the Northern Zhou dynasty by marrying the Emperor Wu. Now housed in the Xianyang Museum, China

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The golden seal of the Empress Ashina, made in 579–580 CE with inscription "Empress Dowager Tianyuan" in large seal script. Ashina was a Göktürk princess who became an empress of the Northern Zhou dynasty by marrying the Emperor Wu. Now housed in the Xianyang Museum, China

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A Persian glass ewer with a gold lid, imported to China during the Liao dynasty , and found in the underground palace of the Chaoyang North Tower in Liaoning Province. Inside the ewer is a small, long-necked, arched-bellied bottle. Now housed at the Chaoyang Beita Museum

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A Persian glass ewer with a gold lid, imported to China during the Liao dynasty , and found in the underground palace of the Chaoyang North Tower in Liaoning Province. Inside the ewer is a small, long-necked, arched-bellied bottle. Now housed at the Chaoyang Beita Museum

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A gold ewer decorated with a dragon and lion playing with a ball, Ming dynasty, 1601 CE, now housed at the Qujiang Museum of Fine Arts in Xian, China

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A gold ewer decorated with a dragon and lion playing with a ball, Ming dynasty, 1601 CE, now housed at the Qujiang Museum of Fine Arts in Xian, China

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A set of traditional Chinese ink sticks gifted to the Qianlong Emperor, with poems by the Qianlong Emperor written on them. The sticks are in a lacquer box with mother-of-pearl inlay. China, Qing Dynasty, 1780-1795. Now in the Cleveland Museum of Art

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A set of traditional Chinese ink sticks gifted to the Qianlong Emperor, with poems by the Qianlong Emperor written on them. The sticks are in a lacquer box with mother-of-pearl inlay. China, Qing Dynasty, 1780-1795. Now in the Cleveland Museum of Art

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A limestone sculpture of the Cosmic Buddha Vairochana draped in robes portraying the Realms of Existence. Northern Qi dynasty, 550–577 CE, from China, now housed at the National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, D.C.

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A limestone sculpture of the Cosmic Buddha Vairochana draped in robes portraying the Realms of Existence. Northern Qi dynasty, 550–577 CE, from China, now housed at the National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, D.C.

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These stone sculptures from the mausoleum of Huo Qubing , a Chinese military general and politician of the Western Han dynasty, are the first monumental stone statues in China. The statue on the bottom left depicts a horse trampling a Xiongnu warrior

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These stone sculptures from the mausoleum of Huo Qubing , a Chinese military general and politician of the Western Han dynasty, are the first monumental stone statues in China. The statue on the bottom left depicts a horse trampling a Xiongnu warrior

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Malachite carving of a luohan sitting under a tree with his assistant, with an incribed poem by the Jiaqing Emperor. China, Qing dynasty, 18th-19th century

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Malachite carving of a luohan sitting under a tree with his assistant, with an incribed poem by the Jiaqing Emperor. China, Qing dynasty, 18th-19th century

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An inlaid turquoise bone found in Yin, the last capital of the Shang Dynasty in China. The oracle bone inscription describes a Shang king's hunting expedition. It is said hat the king went hunting at the foot of Mount Maishan, and killed a wild bull

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An inlaid turquoise bone found in Yin, the last capital of the Shang Dynasty in China. The oracle bone inscription describes a Shang king's hunting expedition. It is said hat the king went hunting at the foot of Mount Maishan, and killed a wild bull

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A Manichæan silk painting of the Buddha-Jesus, from the Southern Song Dynasty, c.12-13th century CE. A syncretic figure is seated in lotus position. He holds a red lotus, in which rests a golden cross. He is haloed by a Christian nimbus, and rests under a Buddhist chatra .

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A Manichæan silk painting of the Buddha-Jesus, from the Southern Song Dynasty, c.12-13th century CE. A syncretic figure is seated in lotus position. He holds a red lotus, in which rests a golden cross. He is haloed by a Christian nimbus, and rests under a Buddhist chatra .

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Deer skull fragment with inscription about the time and place of a king's hunting activities. China, Shang dynasty, around 1200 BC

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Deer skull fragment with inscription about the time and place of a king's hunting activities. China, Shang dynasty, around 1200 BC

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Grave of a nobleman from the Eastern Zhou dynasty, 5th c. BCE. Overall, 5 chariots and 12 horse skeletons were found in city of Luoyang.

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Grave of a nobleman from the Eastern Zhou dynasty, 5th c. BCE. Overall, 5 chariots and 12 horse skeletons were found in city of Luoyang.

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Head of Buddha. China, Northern Song dynasty, 960-1279 AD

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Head of Buddha. China, Northern Song dynasty, 960-1279 AD

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Reconstruction of the crown of Empress Xiao, consort to Emperor Yang of Sui, Sui Dynasty , China

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Reconstruction of the crown of Empress Xiao, consort to Emperor Yang of Sui, Sui Dynasty , China

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Stone stupas with engraved incantations. China, Northern Liang dynasty, 426-436 AD

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Stone stupas with engraved incantations. China, Northern Liang dynasty, 426-436 AD

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A gilt copper round box with openwork decoration of leaf scrolls and dragon. From the reign of the Emperor Qianlong , now housed at the Palace Museum in Beijing China

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A gilt copper round box with openwork decoration of leaf scrolls and dragon. From the reign of the Emperor Qianlong , now housed at the Palace Museum in Beijing China

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A painted clay figurine of a dancer wearing a mask, now housed at the Xinjiang Museum in China. Tang dynasty

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A painted clay figurine of a dancer wearing a mask, now housed at the Xinjiang Museum in China. Tang dynasty

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