Marble Amitabha Buddha (585 CE)
隋开皇五年汉白玉阿弥陀佛立像
A colossal marble Amitabha standing 5.78 m tall — among the largest free-standing early Buddhist sculptures anywhere. The dedicatory inscription on the pedestal precisely dates the consecration to 585 CE, the 5th year of the first Sui emperor's Kaihuang reign.
Object Facts
- Period
- Sui dynasty (581–618)
- Date
- dated 585 CE (5th year of the Kaihuang reign)
- Medium
- White marble (so-called 'Han white jade')
- Dimensions
- H. 5.78 m (over 19 feet)
- Held by
- The British Museum
London, United Kingdom - Accession
- 1938,0715.1
The British Museum — purchased 1938
Why it matters
The Sui dynasty re-unified China after three centuries of division and adopted Buddhism as a state religion. This Amitabha, made for the Chongguangsi monastery in Hebei, embodies that Sui imperial Buddhism at its most ambitious scale.
How it travelled
Removed from the ruined Chongguangsi monastery in Hancuicun, Hebei in the 1930s, reassembled and exported through Beijing. Purchased by the British Museum in 1938; it has stood inside the museum's Great Court ever since.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I see Marble Amitabha Buddha (585 CE)?+
Marble Amitabha Buddha (585 CE) is held by the The British Museum in London, United Kingdom. Accession number 1938,0715.1. Online catalogue record: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_1938-0715-1.
When was Marble Amitabha Buddha (585 CE) created?+
Marble Amitabha Buddha (585 CE) dates to dated 585 CE (5th year of the Kaihuang reign), during the Sui dynasty (581–618).
What is Marble Amitabha Buddha (585 CE) made of?+
Marble Amitabha Buddha (585 CE) is a colossal statue executed in white marble (so-called 'han white jade'), measuring H. 5.78 m (over 19 feet).
How did Marble Amitabha Buddha (585 CE) end up at the British Museum?+
Removed from the ruined Chongguangsi monastery in Hancuicun, Hebei in the 1930s, reassembled and exported through Beijing. Purchased by the British Museum in 1938; it has stood inside the museum's Great Court ever since.
Can I reuse the photograph of Marble Amitabha Buddha (585 CE)?+
The image is in the public domain and free for any use. Crediting the British Museum is encouraged but not required.
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