Architectural Decorations and other finds from the excavations of the fengxiansi monastery in Longmen

Abstract

The present study is concentrates on the finds of the Buddhist monastery Fengxiansi, lying southwest of the celebrated Longmen Caves in the Chinese province of Henan. It is divided in two parts. In the first one, the site, its stratigraphy and the building structures brought to light are briefly described. The second part is dedicated to the finds. Besides the pottery corpus, which, due to its size, requires a separate study, and the sculptures and inscriptions, which are already being investigated by other members of the missions, over 550 finds have been inventoried so far. The book mainly focuses on architectural materials and decorations, especially those from the monastery. Other finds, notably metal objects, sundry every-day use objects, and coins are also briefly illustrate.