Majestic Wise Man // Tang Dynasty, China Ca. 618-907 CE // TL Tested

A Tang dynasty sancai (three color) glazed pottery model of a Taoist official, this Majestic Standing Wise Man is depicted in court robes in Sancai Technique of yellow and green flaze.

The figure is portrayed standing upon a pedestal in an observant position, dressed in traditional sancai glazed robes typical of this epoch. His clasped hands are joined in front beneath his long sleeves.

This figure bears the typical headdress for an official in the Tang dynasty and can be identified by the shape of his hat, traces of red pigment can still be observed. The phoenix that decorates his head indicates that he serves in the court of the great immortal Xiwangmu – the Queen Mother of the West – who presides over the Western paradise (the Taoist heaven), a land of eternal summer, perfection, and beauty.

When China was unified again, first briefly under the Sui and then under the long and prosperous Tang, mingqi truly resurged as a part of elaborate tombs. Tang mingqi integrated the guardian figures and pack animals of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, but also incorporated the many international influences that were popular during this time of stability and expansion. Following Han dynasty traditions, Tang mingqi frequently take the form of musicians, dancers, and servants in clay, but are ornamented with sancai (three-color) glaze, an artistic influence that was transmitted from Central Asia along the Silk Road. Foreigners were also frequently depicted, reflecting a cosmopolitan society that embraced exchanges with other groups and cultures.