Scientists unearth oldest Buddha statues ever found in China

The two statues were believed to have been made locally, an important nuance that provides insight into Buddhist history in China

The oldest ever depiction of the Buddha was found in the 19th century in Afghanistan

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Two alloy Buddha statues were found in a tomb chamber that dates back to the Eastern Han dynasty. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 6:30pm, 16 Dec 2021

Scientists in northwest China’s Shaanxi province revealed last week the discovery of what they believe is the oldest ever Buddha statue found in the country.

The two statues were excavated in a family tomb dated to the Eastern Han dynasty (25-220), about 200 years earlier than previous depictions of Buddha found in China. Before the recent discovery, the oldest representations of Buddha in China dated back to the Sixteen Kingdoms period (304-489).

The oldest likeness of Buddha to appear in the world is believed to be an engraving on a golden relic called the Bimaran casket dated to 0-15 found in the 19th century in Afghanistan.

This statue depicts the Shakyamuni Buddha, another name for the Buddha after enlightenment. Photo: Xinhua

In the Chinese discovery, one of the statues depicts the Shakayumi Buddha, which is one of the names used for the man born Siddhartha Gautama after he found enlightenment and became the founding father of Buddhism.

According to Buddhist tradition, the Buddha is believed to have lived sometime between 600BC and 400BC.

The statue is 10.5cm tall and 4.7cm in diameter at the base, making it about the size that could be placed next to a bed, taken on a trip or placed on a shrine.

The relics were made out of an alloy mixture of copper, tin and lead. Though ancient, they were reminiscent in the style and shape of the statues people can buy today. This is called the Gandhara style and refers to relatively realistic depictions of the Buddha.

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Scientists unearth oldest Buddha statues ever found in China

The two statues were believed to have been made locally, an important nuance that provides insight into Buddhist history in China The oldest ever depiction of the Buddha was found in the 19th century in Afghanistan

The two statues were believed to have been made locally, an important nuance that provides insight into Buddhist history in China

The oldest ever depiction of the Buddha was found in the 19th century in Afghanistan