Tomb figurine: Standing Attendant of Tocharian Type

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONThis clay figure is called a mingqi and was placed in a tomb to serve the soul of the deceased.WHEN WAS IT MADE?It was made during the reign of the Sui dynasty (581-618). Though short-lived, this period was important for the re-unification of north and south China, for centralizing the government, re-introducing the civil service system (including the creation of the jinshi degree) and for adopting a new code of law that served as a prototype for the subsequent Tang dynasty. The period was one of economic prosperity and tolerance for Confucianism, Daoism and Buddhism, with the capital at Chang’an, the largest city in the world and terminus of the Silk Road. Other notable accomplishments include reconstruction of the Great Wall and improvements to the canal system that facilitated commercial transport, as well as expansion of Chinese influence into Southeast Asia.HOW WAS IT MADE?During the Sui dynasty, tomb figures were usually made of earthenware in two-part molds, although some stoneware examples survive from this period. Then the figures were either glazed and fired, or painted with cold pigments after firing.HOW WAS IT USED?From earliest times, ceramics were buried in tombs to reflect the status of the deceased and to provide for the needs of the soul in the afterlife. Ceramic sculptures known as mingqi, along with objects used in everyday life, were placed in the tomb to provide everything necessary for a comfortable afterlife and to show the respect of surviving family members for their ancestors.During the Sui dynasty, tomb figures played an important role in funerary rites and served as public displays of a family’s wealth and filial piety. The tomb sculptures were carried in procession ahead of the coffin as the funeral made its way to the burial site, then lined up along the spirit path leading to the tomb. There the figures assisted in paying respect to the deceased as the coffin was interred. Finally, the tomb figures were placed inside the tomb, usually in niches recessed in the corridor walls, to serve the soul in the afterlife.WHY DOES IT LOOK LIKE THIS?This standing attendant may represent a foreigner from Central Asia, who spoke Tocharian. The dress of this figure suggests its status as a foreigner. Foreigners were not uncommon in China during the Sui dynasty, and were integrated into the dominant society in a variety of ways. The slender, elongated figures of the previous Six Dynasties period were replaced in the Sui period with fuller, more columnar figures that appear more lifelike. To see other Sui dynasty tomb figures in the Johnson Museum’s collection, search for object numbers 84.119.021 and 90.061.005 in the keyword search box.