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The T’ang Dynasty was an era of unrivalled
wealth and luxury. The country was successfully
reunified and the borders were expanded,
pushing Chinese influence into new lands.
Confucianism became a semi-religious
instrument of the state; yet Buddhism continued
to flourish, spreading into Korea and Japan. The
arts reached new levels of sophistication. Poetry
and literature flourished under the enlightened
rulers. The Silk Road brought fortunes into
China. Precious treasures were imported on the
backs of camels from far away lands and
bartered for Chinese silk, medicinal herbs, and
pungent spices. T’ang China was a multicultural
empire where foreign merchants from across
Central Asia and the Middle East settled in the
urban centers, foremost among them the
thriving capital of Chang’an (modern X’ian), a
bustling cosmopolitan center of over two million
inhabitants. Foreign traders lived next to native
artisans and both thrived. New ideas and exotic
artistic forms followed alongside. The T’ang
Dynasty was a cultural renaissance where many
of the forms and objects we now associate with
China were first created. Moreover, this period
represents one of the greatest cultural
outpourings in human history.
During the T’ang Dynasty, the beloved status of
the camel ranked second only to the revered
horse. Camels symbolized commerce and its
associated wealth, largely concentrated on
profits through trading on the Silk Road. Trade
across this extensive network of paths and trails
brought prosperity, foreign merchants, and
exotic merchandize into China. However, the
dusty trails of the Silk Road were an arduous
journey through the rugged mountains and
harsh desert of Central Asia that could only be
traversed by the two humped Bactrian camel.
This remarkable beast was able to withstand the
scorching heat of the desert and to maintain its
own nutrients, surviving for months without
fresh supplies of water. The government kept
vast herds of these invaluable creatures, presided
over by civil officials, for hauling their precious
commodities across the Silk Road. These exotic
creatures were a common sight in the
cosmopolitan cities of T’ang China, carrying both
traders and their goods directly into the markets.
Likewise, T’ang artist began to create charming
representations of these prized creatures as
mingqi in order to symbolize wealth and
prosperity in the afterlife. Mingqi were works of
art specifically created in an ancient Chinese
custom for interment in the tombs of elite
individuals in order to provide for their afterlife.
Some of the most beautiful works of Chinese art
were excavated from such tombs, and this large
sculpture of a camel is a perfect example of the
refined artistry dedicated to such works even
though they were never meant to be seen by the
living. Standing with his head raised in the air
and his mouth wide open, this camel is covered
in thick tufts of furry hair along his head, neck,
knees, and humps. Most remarkable, it features
a removable saddle that may have even once
supported an accompanying rider. This majestic
sculpture reveals the T’ang Dynasty’s respect
and admiration for this beast of burden, so
essential to the prosperity of ancient China.
- (H.714)
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