Buddha sculptures carved into cliff reemerge in north China

TAIYUAN, Dec. 28 (Xinhua) -- About 100 Buddha sculptures carved into a cliff in north China's Shanxi Province have reemerged after archaeologists removed the earth and stones that had covered them, according to the provincial institute of archaeology.

The cliff is located on the east bank of the Fenhe River, 7 km southwest of Huozhou City in Shanxi.

Beginning in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the sculptures were carved along a cliff face about 30 meters long, with the highest located about 11 meters above the ground.

A total of 300 Buddha sculptures enclosed in over 70 niches were carved into the cliff, about a third of which have reemerged after the latest excavation effort, said Bai Shuzhang, a staffer with the institute.

Bai said the sculptures provide important information for studying the evolution of Tang sculpture building.