Tang Dynasty Pottery Figure of a Guard

Tang Dynasty, c. 618–907 AD, China

A fine hollow-moulded terracotta guardian soldier from the Tang Dynasty, depicted standing in a commanding pose. The figure wears a long-sleeved hooded robe, cinched at the waist with a horizontal band, over long trousers. His hands are positioned as if once grasping a weapon—the longitudinal piercing through the right hand confirming that the statuette originally held an armament, now lost.

The garment is carefully rendered, its rims and thickened collar crisply detailed, reflecting the refinement of Tang terracotta craftsmanship. The waist sash is a distinctive feature of court attire, a sartorial marker that, along with specific hat forms, distinguished official ranks during the Tang and subsequent Song Dynasty.

The figure’s face is modelled with remarkable precision in a naturalistic yet imposing manner: almond-shaped eyes, a defined nose, prominent moustaches, and raised brows combine to convey a stern, intimidating presence—befitting his role as protector.

Guardian figures such as this were placed in tombs to safeguard the deceased, reflecting Tang beliefs in the afterlife and the importance of rank, order, and ritual protection. This evocative example embodies both the artistry and symbolism of one of China’s most celebrated dynasties.

Excellent condition. Intact. There are small traces of the original pale orange pigment. Mineral encrustation, soil and dust. Size approx. 23,0cm x 5,4cm x 5,0cm.

Provenance: Swedish private collection. Acquired abroad and brought to Sweden in the 1960s.

References and further reading:

The Matter of Tang Tomb Figures; A New Perspective on a Group of Terracotta Animals and Riders, Lucien Van Valen & Isabelle Garachon, The Rijksmuseum Bulletin, Volume 62. pp. 218-239, 2014.

Dream of Ideal Life in Ancient China: Ceramic Miniatures of Architectures, Household Goods, People and Animals, Aichi.ken Toji Shiryokan, Seto, 2005, no. 14, p. 34.

Antecedents of Sui-Tang Burial Practices in Shaanxi, Mary Fong, Artibus Asiae 51, no:s. 3–4 (1991), pp. 147–98.

Mingqi - Items for the next world, Jan-Erik Nilsson, Gotheborg.com (https://gotheborg.com/glossary/mingqi.shtml)

Immortality of the Spirit: Chinese Funerary Art from the Han and Tang Dynasties Exhibition Catalogue, Jill J. Deupi, Ive Covaci & Leopold Swergold, Immortality of the Spirit - Ephemera. 1, Fairfield University, 2012. (https://digitalcommons.fairfield.edu/immortality_ephemera/1)

The Vibrant Role of Mingqi in Early Chinese Burials, Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History, Heather Colburn Clydesdale, Independent Scholar, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, April 2009. (www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/mgqi/hd_mgqi.htm)