Southern dynasties(AD 420-589
Length 38 cm, Height 19 cm, Thickness 6 cm
Excavated at Xuezhuang, Deng County, Henan Province, 1958

The front side of this brick is imprinted with pictures of the story of Guoju burying his son and finding gold. On the left hand side there is a male figure holding a shovel and digging a hole, while on the right there is a woman cradling a small boy, her back turned to the man. A cauldron full of gold stands between the two figures. There are corresponding signatures on either side of the image. The backdrop of the scene features verdant trees and plants, encircled by a border of acanthus patterns.

The picture is clearly and beautifully executed, and is characteristic of paintings from the Southern dynasties. It provides invaluable material evidence for research into both Northern and Southern dynasties painting, and into the conceptions of filial piety during this period.