Pottery painted figurines of Hu people

[Pottery painted figurines of Hu people]

Pottery painted figurines of Hu people, the fourth year of Tang Tianbao (745), 50.5 cm high and 18 cm wide
Hu people wear Futou, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, high nose and wide mouth, and full of beard. Put on a round neck coat, put on clothes, and tie up the waist. From the perspective of posture, this figure seems to be a camel figure
The Tang Dynasty was in the heyday of China’s feudal society. The broad mind and open atmosphere of the Tang people prompted people from all over the world to come to China. These foreign people were called “Hu people”. The duties of the Hu people can be divided into the following categories: First, they lead horses and camels, which are related to the economic and cultural exchanges between the Tang Dynasty and the Western Regions and Central Asian countries. They are either businessmen or employed by businessmen, and use camels as the main means of transportation to carry out trade activities on the ancient Silk Road; Secondly, the musical instruments played by the Hu people mainly include pipa, tartar pipe, harp, flute, cymbal, etc. These instruments come from the Kucha music system of the Western Regions. The performers may sit or stand, or even ride on camels; Third, attendants or servants, Hu people sent to the court or government of the Tang Dynasty from foreign countries, the skilled ones serve as attendants, serve around the master, and the lower ones serve as servants; Fourth, officials, Hu figurines with the image of officials have been unearthed from the Tomb of the Tang Dynasty at No. 31 in the southern suburbs of Xi’an, the Tomb of Dugu Sijing, and the Tomb of the Tang Dynasty in Wanxian, Chongqing. Most of the Hu people served as military officials, which was inseparable from the use of foreign talents by the Tang government. Li Shimin, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, had employed many foreign officials. An Lushan, the instigator of the An-Shi Rebellion during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, was also a Hu person. An Lushan’s identity at that time was Fan Yang, Ping Lu and other envoys
This Hu figurine was unearthed in the Song’s tomb of Lei Fujun in Hansen Village, the eastern suburb of Xi’an. According to the epitaph, the “Lei Fujun” whom Song married was actually a eunuch. The tomb unearthed a large number of pottery figurines, which were beautifully made. It can be seen that “Lei Fujun” is a figure with a certain status. The Song family was buried according to the rank of “Lei Fujun”.