This sculpture is a general type of Chinese burial
art known as mingqi. Mingqi were any of a
variety of objects specifically created for
interment in the tombs of elite individuals in
order to provide for the afterlife. This work
represents a civic official from the vast
governmental bureaucracy of the T’ang Empire.
With over two million inhabitants in greater
Chang’an, the cosmopolitan capital of the T’ang,
the governance of this city alone would have
demanded an extensive network of civic
servants, not to mention the numerous distant
provinces of that comprised the greater empire.
In order to remove power from the hands of
wealthy aristocrats and warlords, the T’ang
created a class of scholar officials to govern their
lands, enacting the will of the Imperial Court.
Rigorous examinations ensured that only the
most qualified individuals were able to serve this
crucial position, their intelligence reflected by
the writing boards the official holds in his arms.
Depicted with a stern, uncompromising
expression, this civic officials represents the role
of the government in the life of the citizens, as
significant to their well-being as military might.
The facial features of this figure, including the
aquiline noses, elongated ears, and piercing
eyes, are quite similar to those of the guardian
figures and no doubt reveals his extraordinary
powers. The garments of this official are treated
in a lovely sancai glaze. Although the word
sancai (literally meaning "three-colors") is widely
known among collections, the production of
sancai-glazed wares is relatively scarce,
spanning only two hundred years of the entire
Chinese history. Such works are among the most
highly prized examples of Chinese art, treasured
as much for their rarity as for their stunning
beauty. This marvelous sculpture is no
exception. Buried underground, this official was
interred in order to welcome the deceased into
the afterlife and to ensure his comfort in the
great beyond.
- (H.980)
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