Bronze and stone are the two major types of materials for making Buddhist statues during the Northern Wei dynasty in the Chang'an area. According to their shapes and structures, the forms of the stone statues of the Northern Wei period can be divided into seven groups. However, the mature form of stone Buddhist statues made by circular engrave techniques did not appear until the late Northern Wei period. Back-scree statuses and steles are most popular throughtout the entire Northern Wei period. During the Late Northern Wei dynasty, lost-wax casting had been adopted to cast Buddhist statues, while the traditional Chinese bronze casting technology was still practiced.
