Tang Dynasty Unglazed White Pottery Horse figures were popular objects during the Tang dynasty (618–907), and were made purely for burial purposes, they were never intended to be handled nor have any useful purpose other than to accompany the deceased into the afterlife, these objects are referred to as ming qi. Mingqi means “spirit objects” or “vessels for ghosts” in Chinese.
Horses were usually modelled with realistic details and expressive postures, the most popular were the glazed Sancai tri-coloured type, sometimes with traces of other colours and made in different sizes and presented in a variety of postures. The white-coloured pottery horses were covered with a white slip which may also have reflected the influence of the Persian and Central Asian cultures which favoured white horses.
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Tang Dynasty tomb figures of people,
horses, camels and buffalo were cast in sections in moulds with parts luted together using a clay slip.
Mingqi were not unique to the Tang dynasty. They had been used since the Neolithic period (c. 10,000-2,000 BCE) in China, and reached their peak of popularity during the Han dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE). However, the Tang ming qi was more diverse and elaborate than their predecessors, reflecting the cosmopolitan and sophisticated tastes of the time. They were also influenced by the religious beliefs of the Tang people, who practised a variety of faiths, including Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism, Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism, and Nestorian Christianity. Some ming qi were designed to protect the tomb from evil spirits or to ensure a favourable rebirth for the soul. Others were meant to entertain or serve the deceased with music, dance, games, food, and drink.
Tang potters and sculptors reached a high level of expertise in moulding techniques. Several moulds were made in the making of the Tang horses. The moulds were deeply hollowed, and the overall result was very voluminous. The moulds were used over and over again and once the different parts of the horse were joined together, all the details were manually added to give each piece its own individual character.
Mingqi were not only objects of art but also expressions of culture and identity. They revealed the personal preferences and social status of the tomb owner as well as the collective values and norms of Tang society. They also demonstrated the artistic achievements and technical innovations of Tang potters, craftsmen and artists. By studying ming qi, we can learn more about the fascinating world of Tang China and its legacy for later generations.
