Song Brick Tiles

The Song dynasty (960–1279) is considered the most culturally brilliant era in later imperial Chinese history. A massive expansion during this time produced government and public buildings and tombs with decorated interior walls decorations with pottery brick tiles. These tiles were inexpensive, mold made from wet clay, fired in a kiln, covered in white slip and painted with polychrome colors. Some were purely decorative and others, were wishes for happiness and comfort in the deceased’s afterlife called mingqi. As China’s trade expanded along the Silk Roads foreign influence affected the tiles representations and themes. These influences included imported architectural elements in a tile’s frame such as the elegant pointed Indian ogee. Previously decorative elements were large, hand-made stone reliefs for walls and doors in tombs for the rich, but during the Song they were used also for government, religious and private buildings and pagodas. Song brick tiles are admired for their diversity with subjects depicting holiday celebrations, mythology, auspicious symbols (wealth, health, longevity); decorative images of animals, birds, plants, trees, fruits and wishes for the deceased to have a comfortable and happy afterlife expressed using visual puns. As most ancient buildings containing, these pieces used ancient traditional un-reinforced Chinese mud/brick construction and were subject to disasters like earthquakes, floods, fires, few have survived intact, and often required repair and restoration.