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Sancai tomb figurine from Tang Dynasty
Updated: May 4, 2023
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The impact of Buddhism resulted in figurines of heavenly kings appearing throughout the Tang Dynasty (618-907). This 65 cm-high sancai figurine, wearing armor and a bird-shaped hat, with fierce eyes, an open mouth, his left hand resting on his hip and right hand clenched in a fist, is standing on a ghost holding a serpent. The figurine depicts a representative image of the righteous deity who protects people from malevolent spirits.
Unearthed in Xi’an, Shaanxi province, in 1959, the figurine serves to guard the tomb and protect the deceased. It is a treasure in the permanent collection of the Shaanxi History Museum.
