Tomb Figurines

Western Han Dynasty, Yangling Museum, Xi'an

The number and variety of mingqi on display attest to the proverb, "treat the dead as if alive" - you really could take it with you, as a profusion of animals and attendants were provided for the imperials' afterlives.

As mentioned on the previous page, these mingqi were buried outside of the tomb proper; after all, if you were the emperor, you would hardly want to spend your afterlife under the same roof as your horses and cows.