NORTHERN WEI DYNASTY (AD 386-534)

The inscription on the ‘dragon’ plaque, Da Wei Taiping renwu siyue zao, may be translated, “made during the fourth month of the renwu year (AD 442) of the Taiping reign of the Great Wei.” The inscription on the ‘tiger’ plaque, Xiaochang bingwu linyue zao, may be translated, “made in the sixth month of the bingwu year (AD 526) of the Xiaochang period.”