Monks and Merchants: Silk Road Treasures from Northwest China

Published in conjunction with the October 2001 exhibition at the Asia Society Museum in New York, this volume illuminates a pivotal epoch in Chinese history between the Han and Tang periods when Buddhism took root in China and trade in exotic goods flourished along the Silk Road. It features 120-plus rare works of art in gold, silver, glass, clay, and stone from Chinese collections, many recently excavated and most of them never before published in English. The primary authors, Juliano (Chinese art, Rutgers U.) and Lerner (independent art historian) and contributing historians and archaeologists address the contribution of the nomadic tribes, the role of the Sogdians as Silk Road traders and later as Chinese officials, the gold and silver coinage found in a Sogdian cemetary, the role of Buddhism as a catalyst, and other topics. Object descriptions accompany the photographs and essays. Contains 334 illustrations, including 214 color plates. Oversize: 9.25x12.25