The seven buddhas of the past

Gilded Bronze Sculpture of the Sui and Tang dynasties, 581–907

Buddhism received support at almost all levels of society during the first 150 years of the Tang dynasty; however, many temples and artworks created during this period were destroyed during the Buddhist persecutions of the late Tang. Surviving paintings, architecture, and sculpture made of perishable materials are rare, but some traces can be found in Japan, where more artwork and structures of the same period have survived. Small-scale gilded bronze objects also allow valuable insight into the magnificence of this sculptural tradition.