As early as the fifth century BC, the monk Jing Wan carved sutras on tablets to protect them for posterity. 

During the following 1,000 years, more monks went on to carve 17 million Chinese characters on 14,278 tablets. The 1,122 sutra collection includes 3,572 volumes.

They are today stored and preserved at Yunju Temple on Baiyun Mountain in the southwest of Beijing.

Beijing - The Magnificent City 2004-2005.

Hardback, 271 glorious pictures on 157 full-colour glossy pages, 235x315mm.

RMB260 / US$34.95