The Han era was one of the greatest artistic
moments in Chinese history easily on par with
the glories of Western contemporaries in
Greece and Rome. Wealth poured into China
from trade along the Silk Road and initiated a
period of unprecedented luxury. Stunning
bronze vessels were created and decorated
with elegant inlaid gold and silver motifs. Jade
carvings reached a new level of technical
brilliance. Yet the artistic revival of the Han
Dynasty is nowhere better represented than
by the sculptures and vessels that were
interred with deceased nobles. Called Mingqi,
literally meaning “spirit articles,” these works
depicted a vast array of subjects from
warriors and horses to ovens and livestock
that were buried alongside the dead for use in
the next life. Such actions reflect the Chinese
belief that the afterlife is an extension of our
earthy existence. Thus, the material goods
that we require to sustain and nurture our
bodies in this life are just as necessary in the
next life.
This sculpture was commissioned by the
family of the deceased to be buried alongside
their departed relative. It served both as a
symbol of their wealth and familial piety. Only
elite members of the social hierarchy could
afford to be honored with such elaborate
burials. The tombs of nobles and high-ranking
officials were filled with sculpted renditions of
their earthly entourage. Musicians, chefs,
attendants, and guardians were placed
alongside pots, vessels, cooking utensils, and
herds of livestock. Each one of these Mingqi
were expected to perform their functions
continually throughout the afterlife. The
guards would watch over the soul of the
deceased while the chef prepared meals
utilizing the meats of the livestock and the
musicians would perform songs to nourish the
spirit throughout eternity.
Though ravaged by time, this particular
figurine appears to depict a kneeling
attendant, perhaps in votive offering.
Hunching over, the attendant’s hugs his left
knee with his left arm, while the right knee
likely makes contact with the floor beneath
him under free-flowing drapery. The
attendant’s right arm, now severed by the
stresses of time and excavation, motions
towards the ground. The low-hanging face
appears to look directly at the object that the
attendant would have once held in servile
commitment.
