Although relatively short lived, the Sui Dynasty gave way to the great cultural developments that would later be expanded and consolidated by the Han Dynasty. This statuette was likely a ‘mingqi’, a burial figurine, viewed as a sort of utensil for the afterlife, and usually depicting everyday objects and people, such as dancers, court attendants, and servants. Mingqi figurines of dancers, musicians and court attendants would have been placed in the tomb with the deceased to ensure company and entertainment.
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