Many Chinese Buddhist artefacts were produced during a great period of expansion of the religion in China in the sixth century AD. This four-sided limestone column is one of the V&A's foremost Buddhist stone carvings. It was set at the side of a road in southern Shaanxi province in north China. This was done, the inscription on the stone tells us, 'so that all wayfarers may gaze upon the radiant countenance, without having to turn aside their steps, and that travellers, resting themselves at this spot, may venerate the sacred images, not needing to take another path, that whether they are clergy or laity their hearts may be influenced, and whether they be monks and nuns or unordained, they may look upon this column with repectful eyes'. A group of 26 Buddhist believers paid for the column, which bears their names carved in rows. The main carved decoration is of the Buddha on one side and of the religious debate between the Bodhisattva Manjusri (Chinese name: Wenshu), and the pious lay-believer Vimalakirti (Chinese name: Weimojie).