A stone carving of the Tang Dynasty "seven-level floating map" found in Neiqiu. Photo by Shi Xiaopeng
Xingtai, 3 Mar (Zhongxin.com) -- The Propaganda Department of the Neiqiu County CPC Committee in Hebei Province revealed on 3 March that a villager in Neiqiu County recently found a stone carving of a "seven-level floating map" statue while renovating his courtyard. According to the preliminary appraisal of the local cultural protection department, the "seven-level floating map" statue stone carving was built for the Tang Dynasty, dating back more than 1200 years.
A stone carving of the Tang Dynasty "seven-level floating map" found in Neiqiu. Photo by Shi Xiaopeng
According to reports, the statue is carved into a hollow stone niche, 68 cm high, 42 cm wide and 23 cm thick. The right side of the stone niche is engraved with an inscription, the writing script, the font Juanxiu, counting 67 characters, although after thousands of years, it is still relatively clear and basically recognizable. The stone carving is a "seven-level floating figure" stupa architectural component, the front upper part is a high relief Shakyamuni teaching map, the middle relief Buddha shrine, the lower part is carved with two Lux figures, and a pair of mendang stone lions, the overall carving is very exquisite, the character image is vivid.
Li Hengkun, a literary and historical worker at the Local History Office of Neiqiu County, said that the stone carving of the statue has very important cultural value, which provides a certain example for the study of the "Thousand Buddhas Temple", a provincial key cultural relics protection unit in the area. (End)