A Set of Twelve Zodiac Guardian Figures

Tang Dynasty, Chang’an ( Xi’an), China, 618–907 CE Set of twelve painted terracotta zodiac guardians created as mingqi funerary figures during the Tang Dynasty. Each sculpture combines an animal head from the Chinese zodiac with a human body dressed in flowing ceremonial robes, reflecting the cosmological beliefs and sophisticated burial traditions of imperial China. Originally arranged around the tomb according to directional and calendrical order, the figures were intended to protect the deceased and maintain spiritual harmony in the afterlife. Traces of original red pigment remain visible across the garments, preserving elements of their formal courtly appearance and ceremonial character.