This general type of Chinese burial art is 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. Of the various types of mingqi,
from food utensils and storage vessels to
sculptures of warriors and horses, there is
perhaps none more charming than the beautiful
sculptures of elegant ladies in waiting. This set
of six gorgeous women, along with two male
officials marked by their conical caps, reflects
the appreciation of the feminine form during the
T’ang Dynasty. These elegant, sophisticated
figures provided eternal companionship
throughout the afterlife. We can imagine the
ladies gracefully dancing or singing a poetical
song, two very popular customs for ladies during
the T’ang Dynasty, considered a golden age of
Chinese culture. Such female courtiers are
described in the numerous love poems written
during this era, likely the greatest outpouring of
poetry in Chinese history. Meanwhile, the male
officials would attend to bureaucratic details of
the imperial government. The ladies wear their
hair in a variety of styles including side locks and
fan-shaped coiffures. The gently swaying
posture of some of the women reinforces the
notion of graceful dancers. These women may
represent wives, princesses, or attendants while
the men depict highly trained government
officials, all ready to heed their master’s beck
and call in the afterlife. This set of eight
sculptures inspires us as we transport back into
another era. Such mingqi were interred
according to an ancient tradition in order to
provide for the afterlife. Truly, this group of
figures has been to the next world, returning to
our modern era to tell us their tale. They speak
of the enormous wealth and sophisticated
culture of the T’ang Dynasty, one of the greatest
periods of artistic creation in human history.
Although they speak of the past, these works
continue to amaze us in the present with their
unmatched beauty and refinement.
- (H.690)
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