The remains from a statue of a mummified Buddhist master have been donated to the local government in northern China's Hebei Province, with teeth and bone still well preserved.

In the Khitan Empire, or Liao Dynasty (916 - 1125), remains are said to belong to a Buddhist master, Cixian Sanzang.

"Underneath the gold foil and incense ashes of the statue, teeth from the upper jaw, as well as the ribs and the spine were well preserved, including even the joints," said Wu Yongqing, a senior orthopedic doctor with the No. 1 People's Hospital of Wuan city.

The remains were donated by Dinghui Temple in Huoshui town to Wuan's cultural relics protection institute.

Master Cixian Sanzang was from India and went to Khitan, translating many important sutras. After he passed away, his body was kept in soil and paint.

According to Wang Wei, head of the Wuan city's cultural relics protection institute, the remains are quite precious.

"Due to the poor conditions for preservation at the institute, they will be kept in the temple at the moment," he said.