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The T’ang Dynasty was an era of unrivalled
wealth and luxury. The country was successfully
reunified and the borders were expanded,
pushing Chinese influence into new lands.
Confucianism became a semi-religious
instrument of the state; yet Buddhism continued
to flourish, spreading into Korea and Japan. The
arts reached new levels of sophistication. Poetry
and literature flourished under the enlightened
rulers. The Silk Road brought fortunes into
China. Precious treasures were imported on the
backs of camels from far away lands and
bartered for Chinese silk, medicinal herbs, and
pungent spices. T’ang China was a multicultural
empire where foreign merchants from across
Central Asia and the Middle East settled in the
urban centers, foremost among them the
thriving capital of Chang’an (modern X’ian), a
bustling cosmopolitan center of over two million
inhabitants. Foreign traders lived next to native
artisans and both thrived. New ideas and exotic
artistic forms followed alongside. The T’ang
Dynasty was a cultural renaissance where many
of the forms and objects we now associate with
China were first created. Moreover, this period
represents one of the greatest cultural
outpourings in human history.
For the Chinese, camels symbolized commerce
and its associated wealth, largely concentrated
on profits through trading on the Silk Road.
Trade across this extensive network of paths and
trails brought prosperity, foreign merchants, and
exotic merchandize into China. However, the
dusty trails of the Silk Road were an arduous
journey through the rugged mountains and
harsh deserts of Central Asia that could only be
traversed by the two humped Bactrian camel.
This remarkable beast was able to withstand the
scorching heat of the desert and maintain its
own nutrients, surviving for months without
fresh supplies of water. The government kept
vast herds of these invaluable creatures, presided
over by civil officials, for hauling their precious
commodities across the Silk Road. These exotic
creatures were a common sight in the
cosmopolitan cities of T’ang China, carrying both
traders and their goods directly into the markets.
Likewise, T’ang artist began to create charming
representations of these prized creatures as
mingqi in order to symbolize wealth and
prosperity in the afterlife.
Mingqi were works of art specifically
created in an ancient Chinese custom for
interment in the tombs of elite individuals in
order to provide for their afterlife. Some of the
most beautiful works of Chinese art were
excavated from such tombs, and this sculpture of
a camel and an accompanying groom is a perfect
example of the refined artistry dedicated to such
works despite the fact that they were never
meant to be seen by the living. The distinct
physiognomy of the groom, with deep-set eyes
and a full beard, reveals that he is of foreign
descent, most likely from Central Asia. We can
imagine him tending to the vast herds of these
invaluable beasts that were maintained by the
government. He holds his arm in the air as if
leading the camel; we can almost see the reigns.
Thick tufts of furry hair cover the camel along his
head, neck, and knees. A removable saddle
bulging with exotic goods and merchandize,
including an easily discernable flask, has been
placed between the two humps. This sculpture
reveals the T’ang Dynasty’s respect and
admiration for this beast of burden, so essential
to the prosperity of ancient China.
- (H.981)
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