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Chinese Ceramics
Musician figurines

Musician figurines
Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD)
Earthenware,
lead glaze (sancai), paint
heads unglazed
4.5 in. x 5.25 in. high
Gift of
Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Snukal
97.69.105 A-D

[click on images for larger view]

Han vase

Wine jar (hu)
Han dynasty (207 BC–AD 221)
Unglazed earthenware, paint
14 in. high
Gift of
Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Snukal
1996.44.12

4 of 5

Section 1:

Tomb
Treasures

Singing and Dancing
The Chinese people like to have fun too—we do not spend all of our time on business and war. To remind the po of happy times, we might include ceramic figures of acrobats or musicians in the tomb. Music is so important to us that the Han central government had a Music Bureau that kept records about songs, musical instruments, and dances.

Because a soul must remember its everyday life, we include vessels for food and drinks—jars, vases, bowls, and plates. This vase looks like the bronze vases that used to be buried in graves, but it is actually made of clay.

 


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Artworks in the Tomb Treasures section are only available as an online exhibit
Updated 2/12/2001 USC Pacific Asia Museum  Copyright&Credits
boys playing boy playing