Mingqi

Mingqi (Chinese明器or冥器, also盟 器, Pinyin MingQi, W.-G. ming- ch'i, English burial objects / funerary objects / mortuary objects) are Chinese grave goods, burial offerings or dead gifts, specifically for burial purposes be made. The artifacts were usually made ​​of clay, wood or stone. Since Neolithic times they are found in all graves along with the dead. Since the time of the Song dynasty were spreading gradually grave goods made ​​of paper, and those made ​​of clay, wood or stone were gradually less. In the Ming Dynasty also lead and tin were used as material. Among the grave goods there are in addition replicas of everyday objects and models of buildings, fields, storage, wells, herds, pig houses, furniture, etc., from which it can be tapped on the social life and the status of Bildnereikunst time. Artistic particularly valuable objects are the lifelike clay sculptures and objects from the Han dynasty or the three-color pottery from the Tang Dynasty ( Tang sancai ).

Dictionary

• Cihai. Shanghai: Shanghai cishu chubanshe 2002; ISBN 7-5326-0839-5
• Zhongguo Baike as quanshu: Kaoguxue [ Great Chinese Encyclopedia: Volume Archaeology ]. Beijing: Zhongguo Baike as quanshu chubanshe, 1986 ( Online)