Stone carvings from Southern Dynasties(420-589AD)

Southern dynasties is a period between Qin and Han to Sui and Tang. It was an unstable time with several independent countries.

Stone carvings in the mausoleum from Southern dynasties have a great importance in the study of art, culture and literature in that period. There are in total 33 sites in Nanjing, and  also in nearby cities like Jurong.The stone carvings are different from the later ones in Tang and Ming mausoleum. They feature legendary animals as an effort to protect the mausoleum. Bi Xie out of those stone animals become the ensemble of Nanjing!