Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c11.36

v2.c11.36

carving flourished the most in India. And in this period, the monumental monolithic pillar built by Ashoka was the model of stone carving works. They were carved from the monolithic sandstones, with the height of 12-15 mt and weight of about 50 tons. The art essence of Ashoka stone pillar was embodied in its head. The Lion Capital of Ashoka discovered in Sarnath was the most important and famous. The stone pillar was originally built by Ashoka in Sarnath in memory of Sakyamuni’s very first teaching at Sarnath, standing for the pillar of the universe, and its head was selected as the national emblem of the Republic of India in 1950. Huabiao, the ornamental column used in traditional Chinese architecture, was obviously influenced by the Ashoka pillar.