An extremely rare set of 7 Mingqi musician/entertainers in painted grey clay. Each plays a different instrument and all are laughing as they dance to accompanying music. Dressed in long robes and baggy pants, they play their instruments as they dance to accompanying music. Their open-mouthed laughs show the comedic humor that flourished in Han dynasty courts. Each has a full stomach that protrudes over their knees, a large head with prominent features, and hair tied into a pointed buns on top of the heads. Originally, all were painted white with black or brown belts, but most have losses to the pigments. This type of sculpture is known as mingqi, meaning “items for the next world.” Specifically commissioned by the family of the deceased to be buried alongside the departed, it symbolized the wealthof elite members of the social hierarchy. During the Han era, the ancient Chinese believed that the afterlife was an extension of our earthly existence. Thus, the tombs of nobles and high- ranking officials were filled with sculpted renditions of their earthly entourage, including: musicians, chefs, attendants, and guardians placed alongside pots, vessels, cooking utensils, and herds of livestock. All are approximately 8 inches tall.