<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" align=center><SPAN lang=EN-US><STRONG><BR>Gilt-bronze Buddha Statue</STRONG></SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US>United Press International, October 8, 2006</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on"><SPAN lang=EN-US>Hong Kong</SPAN></st1:City><SPAN lang=EN-US>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region> -- A gilt-bronze Buddha from the Ming Dynasty has sold for $14.99 million at a <st1:place w:st="on">Hong Kong</st1:place> auction, setting a world record for a Chinese work of art.</SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US>China's official Xinhua News Agency reported the purchase of the 15th century Yongle Shakyamuni at Sotheby's Hong Kong Autumn Sales 2006 on Saturday set a record for the auction sale of Chinese works of art with its nearly $15 million top bid.</SPAN></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN lang=EN-US>The opulent bronze is one of only two Yongle statues of the famed Buddha Shakyamuni that have survived along with their accompanying, but separately made, thrones.</SPAN></P>
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