Torso of a seated buddha

The head of this small piece was created separately and attached to the body by means of a mortise and tenon. During the more than 1,400 years since the creation of this work, the two parts became separated. White marble found in Hebei province was an ideal medium for sculpture. Its fine, uniform grain made it ideal for carving, and the pure white color was compared to jade. Often these pieces were brilliantly decorated with pigments and gilt.