The stylistic difference between North-of-Yangtze and South-of-Yangtze regions is an important problem in the history of Chinese sculpture. Though materials are not plenty, the author traces the history of the north and south stylistic differences from the Six Dynasties Period through the T'ang Dynasty as follows. 1) As examples of early Six Dynasties Buddhist images, one can compare a gilt bronze Buddha image dated 437 (fig. 2) made in Sung, one of the Southern Dynasties, and a contemporary Northern Dynasties gilt bronze image of a seated Buddha from Hopei Province (fig. 1). The comparison of the two suggests to us a north and south stylistic distinction in the early fifth century. 2) According to literary references, a number of Buddhist images were brought from South Asian countries to the area of the Southern Dynasties in the Six Dynasties Period. Such newly arrived images must have influenced the Southern Dynasties style and must have contributed factors to it which stood in contrast to the Northern Dynasties style. 3) A Liang Dynasty stone statue dated 546 (fig 13), which is now in the Shanghai Museum, proves that the Liang style differed from the Northern Dynasties style. Further more, a Southern Ch'i stone statue dated 546 (fig. 13), which was excavated at Mao-hsien in Szechwan and a Liang stone statue dated 523 (fig. 14), which was excavated at Ch'êng-tu in Szechwan, provide us with clues that enable us to trace the development of the Southern Dynasties style in the Southof-Yangtze region. 4) Another way of cnsidering the Liao style is the study of the Paekche style of the three Kingdoms Period in Korea. For instance, the elongated proportion seen in Paekche statues must have been a characteristic of Liang statues as well. The form of Avalokiteśvara with a sacred jewel held in two hands in front of the chest, which is seen only in Paekche statues, must also have been derived from the Liang prototype. 5) Among the gilt bronze images which are generally presumed to be Northern Dynasties works, such examples as are shown in Pls. VI to VIII may be Southern Dynasties pieces. They display a sort of combination of the Northern Dynasties style and Southern Dynasties style. 6) In the Sui Dynasty there was a tendency to unify the North-of-Yangtze and South-of-Yangtze styles. But there are still South-of-Yangtze examples which show a style peculiar to the region, such as the works in P1. IX. 7) The cliff relief statue dated 679 (fig. 25) of the Kuan-yin Peak of Hsi-shang at Kuei-lin. Kwangsi, is a typical South-of-Yangtze carving of the Tang Dynasty. Emphasis on body frontality characterizes this work. Such an early T'ang Dynasty South-of-Yangtze style was inherited by Silla in Korea, judging from remaining Silla examples.
