Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes ProCon History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture Money Videos
mingqi
Table of Contents
Introduction References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics
Read Next
Candles Burning On Table In Church
What Is the Most Widely Practiced Religion in the World?
African American man praying in church with stained glass in background
Why Do People Say “Amen” at the End of a Prayer?
Ahura Mazda - relief of the Zoroastrian god Ahura Mazda at the ancient ruins of Persepolis in Iran. Also known as Ormazd Zoroastrianism,
Which Religion Is the Oldest?
Discover
Thumbnail for flags that look alike quiz Russia, Slovenia, Iceland, Norway
Flags That Look Alike
New York NY/ USA- November 23, 2018 Hordes of shoppers throng the Macy's Herald Square flagship store in New York looking for bargains on the day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday.
Why Is It Called Black Friday?
Orange basketball on black background and with low key lighting. Homepage 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society
The 10 Greatest Basketball Players of All Time
Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), Italian Renaissance painter from Florence. Engraving by Cosomo Colombini (d. 1812) after a Leonardo self portrait. Ca. 1500.
10 Famous Artworks by Leonardo da Vinci
Ethel Rosenberg arrested in August 1950. Photograph dated Aug. 8, 1950. American civilians executed for espionage. Spies, communists, Julius Rosenberg
Spies Like Us: 10 Famous Names in the Espionage Game
Thanksgiving Turkey with all the sides
Why Do We Eat Turkey on Thanksgiving?
Super Typhoon Noru over the western tropical Pacific Ocean as observed by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA Aqua satellite July 31 2017
What Is the Difference Between a Typhoon and a Super Typhoon?

mingqi

Chinese funerary objects
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://www.britannica.com/topic/mingqi
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Also known as: ming-ch’i
Written and fact-checked by
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Article History
Chinese:
“bright utensils”
Wade-Giles romanization:
ming-ch’i

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.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Matt Stefon.