One of the three white marble statues discovered by residents of Dengzhou, Henan Province on June 25. Photo: Dahe Daily

Workers in Dengzhou, Henan Province discovered a set of three Taoist statues while repairing a local sewer system on June 25 that may date back to the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368), according to local experts.

Residents discovered the white marble statues about one meter underground while conducting the repairs, said Liao Jiantuan, Party branch secretary of the Liaozhai village of Jitan town.

The statues have been moved to a bank vault.

The largest of the trio, measuring 75 centimeters tall, resembles Zhenwu Dadi, a Taoist water god, while the smaller two appear to be celestial attendants.

Located at the confluence of three rivers, Jitan suffered frequent floods in ancient times. 

The site is also home to Yu'an temple, which was built between the Yuan and Ming (1368-1644) Dynasties in hopes the water god would control the waters.

The temple was destroyed in 1946 during China's civil war, according to the report.

"These statues, built at the turn of the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, are a rare find and have great archaeological value," said Wang Chunling, a local cultural relics expert.

Source: Dahe Daily