The earliest Buddhist art of China can only be understood when seen in relation to a wider area comprising Central Asia and India. This is exactly the purpose of the underlying volume.

Presenting the earliest Buddhist art of China in its wider context of the Bactrian and Southern Silk Road regions in Central Asia (1st to 4th century A.D.), the author offers clarifications of the issues and new assessments regarding the cross-cultural and cross-regional interrelationships, sources, dating and chronology during these formative initial phases of Buddhism from India to China.