The tombs constructed by the Sogdians who arrived in China during the early medieval period are of great significance for studying their history. These tombs provide extensive information about the Sogdians’ life, religion, and commercial activities in China. Many Sogdian-related tombs have been discovered in China; however, a large number of them were found partially destroyed, without inscriptions, or with faded imagery. Therefore, the tombs of Shi Jun (史君) and An Jia (安伽) from the Northern Zhou (北周) period, Kang Ye (康业) and Yu Hong (虞弘) from the Sui (隋) dynasty, the tomb discovered in the Tian Shui area from the Northern Dynasties period, as well as a Northern Dynasties stone tomb with elements of Zoroastrian art preserved in the National Museum of China, are especially valuable due to their archaeological and artistic completeness, which facilitates detailed analysis. These tombs play a key role in understanding both the history of the Sogdians in China and the cultural exchange between China and the West. A common feature of all these tombs is the presence of stone tombs called “shítáng” (石堂), meaning “stone-built tomb” or, in Sogdian, “house of the gods” (石头做的坟墓(众神的屋子), shítou zuò de fénmù (zhòngshén de wūzi)). The stone sarcophagi depict scenes of daily life, religious ceremonies, music, dance, banquets, travel, hunting, mythical beings, and miraculous events. Among the shared characteristics of the above-mentioned stone tombs, one notable motif is the depiction of dance.

Shi Jun, An Jia, Kang Ye

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