Courtier. China, Sui dynasty (581 - 618 A.D.)

Courtier. China, Sui dynasty (581 - 618 AD).
Terracotta glazed in beige.
Measurements: 19,2 cm.

Round sculpture of a courtier dressed in opulent clothes and wearing a high hat. The dignitary crosses his hands in a paused position and looks at the spectator with a smiling face. The fine workmanship of his facial features stands out.

The Sui dynasty was a short-lived imperial dynasty of China that lasted from 581 to 618. The Sui unified the Northern and Southern dynasties, thus ending the long period of division. After the fall of the Western Jin dynasty and laying the foundation for the much more enduring Tang dynasty. Emperors Wen and his successor Yang undertook a number of centralized reforms, most notably the system of equal conditions, with the intention of reducing economic inequality and improving productivity. They also spread and encouraged Buddhism throughout the empire. By the middle of the dynasty, the newly unified empire entered a golden age of prosperity with a large agricultural surplus that supported rapid population growth. The dynasty is often compared to the earlier Qin dynasty for unifying China after a prolonged division.