Ancient Han Dynasty Pottery Pig, China H: 2.5″

Description

Han mingqi were ancestral offerings for tombs to appease and provide for ancestors and assure the fulfillment of filial piety, ancestor worship and their Confucian duties.  A follower of Confucius wrote “…one adorns the dead as though they were still living, and sends them to the grave with forms symbolic of life.” These pottery items were often made using a bivalve mould and many were covered with a lead glaze that fired to a dark green. The lead sometimes combined with tomb dampness creating a chemical reaction that changed its coloring into a lustrous and iridescent green much prized by collectors.  A form of ancestor worship they. were presented as offerings dedicated at funeral ceremonies and included items the deceased would need to live comfortably in the after life such dishes, utensils, furniture, architectural pieces and large and small statues of servants, attendants and livestock,  The number, variety, size and quality of pieces reflected the family’s wealth and perceived importance. Pigs were an important domestic animals, food source, commercial items, so they were often included in the array of mingqi items. This diminutive pig is totally endearing and fanciful with an iridescent glaze and would be especially appealing as a send off to the nether world or in a contemporary setting.