mingqi, funerary furniture or objects placed in Chinese tombs to provide the deceased with the same material environment enjoyed while living, thus assuring immortality. While mingqi were buried with the dead in virtually all historical periods, the custom was more popular in some periods than in others—for example, in the Han (206 bce–220 ce), Tang (618–907), and Ming (1368–1644) dynasties.
Mingqi are usually inexpensive, simply crafted clay models of that which is familiar in life—including guardians, servants, animals, and even architectural structures. A complete set of mingqi from a single tomb may amount to a model of an entire village, giving a comprehensive picture of the daily life of the period.