The film follows in the footsteps of an archaeological expedition from 1914 in Sichuan. Led by the Breton writer and doctor Victor Segalen, accompanied by his friends Jean Lartique  and Gilbert des Voisins. Their task was the documentation in photographs and writings of ancient stone sculptures. Segalen’s particular passion was the Han Period, he was hoping to find in the sculptures of that time the origins of the art of Chinese stone sculpture. They also recorded Buddhist sculptures and burial grounds. See also Victor Segalens book: “The Great Statuary of China”.  In 2011 an exhibition of his and his colleagues’ photographs is planned in the Berlin Martin Gropius Building.
Author: Maria Zinfert; Director: Tamara Wyss; Camera: Li Xiao; Editing: Mike Guergen; 
52 mins.; arte/ZDF & Sichuan TV; Production: Gebrueder Beetz (www.gebrueder-beetz.de); 2010