John Schroeder

5/7/2021
Choi
Final research essay
Figure of a Dog: Han Dynasty
The Importance of Dogs in the Han Dynasty

This piece was most likely made in the period between 25-220 with no credited owner

during the second imperial dynasty in China, the Han Dynasty, it’s dimensions are around 10

inches tall and 4 inches wide. it was common practice for a dog statue to be buried along with a

person who had passed. It was a held belief that after the person died, the dog statue would serve

as a companion for the person in the afterlife. Dogs themselves were a popular piece of worship

with them having numerous responsibilities such as guarding the home, hunting with their

masters and even as a food source. As such dogs became a highly valued piece of early chinese

culture and were prized among the lower class and upper class alike, becoming a symbol of

prosperity in empirical China. While some may argue that they were less than just tools that the
John Schroeder
5/7/2021
Choi
Final research essay
empirical China used to make life easier there are examples of sacrecy being applied to hounds

that emperors owned as well as holy treatment or allusions in mythology at the time.

This statue is a green glazed piece of pottery known as a “hill jar” styled ceramic

depicting a guard dog of sorts standing with its ears raised and jaw clenched. The figure may be

depicting a shar-pei due to the engravings along its body, similar to how a shar-pei has wrinkles

running along its body and curled tail, Due to the ornate collaring of the dog it may be inferred

that the master of it was a wealthy individual, as the encrusted collar was a popular fashion piece

for dogs at the time. The ware on the piece starts at the base of its feet, possibly due to it being a

free standing statue meant to be placed on its feet within the tomb and over time the glaze has

chipped off, however other than that the statue appears in good condition. While this statue

appears to be a shar-pei, during the Han dynasty there were other dogs used as well for specific

tasks such as shar-peis as guard dogs, chow-chows as hunting dogs, and even pugs were favored

among nobles during the time.

The form of the dog is relatively natural with slightly stylized features such as the lines

running across it to depict the wrinkly fur of the dog. The texture of the piece was most likely

smooth and glassy due to the glaze on it, underneath would be a baked clay material. Early

Chinese funerary practices are believed to have been the beginning of fired glaze ceramics with

the “low-fire” technique that produced a brownish or very dark green tint onto the ceramic

whereas the glaze paint on this burial dog pottery most likely would have been fired in a “high-

fire” kiln opposed to it being a “low fire” due to the distinct green coloration it has compared to

the more brownish tint a low fired ceramic would have. This “high-firing” technique came from

the northern part of China known as the Zheijian region which was formerly known as Yuezhou

and the kilns used to make them were known as Yue kilns.
John Schroeder
5/7/2021
Choi
Final research essay
The green coloration comes from a water based slip glaze that had a sort of high iron

content and turned green because of it, iron was also spread onto the ceramics before being fired

to produce the green pigment on purpose and this style of pottery was so popular that it created a

family of pottery known as “Qingci” or green porcelain. Pottery of this kind, especially burial

pieces depicting dogs, were varied among cases due to both the artist and the individual it was

buried with, but the cultural aspect of it was always the same. Variations of these burial statues

can be the range of detail, posing, or stylization going from very natural to very stylized actual

pots and vases known as “Hu” which were inspired by other copperware decorated with friezes

and other ornamentations were also among art pieces that were found within the tombs dating

back to the Han dynasty as the the rulers saw that art was an incredibly important way of

preserving culture and heritage over time.

Domesticated dogs were a prized privilege during the Han dynasty and when dog meat

was consumed it was treated as a delicacy for the upper crust of Han society, and while nobility

in the empire would take part of dog meat, It’s also noted that when dog meat was found at a

feast it was typically a very ceremonious event, and treated with high esteem. The butchers that

would prepare the meat was a specific occupation that was looked down upon.

The strong nature of man's canine companions have been a constant throughout history a

strong, dependable friend. From the early Han burial statues to today's sidewalk art, dogs are

depicted as proud and alert. With some even real life events forever immortalized with

memorials to heroic dogs throughout history. While we may not see them as godlike or as

delicacies to be eaten with the highest respect, we still see dogs as staunt protectors and as an

important piece of our everyday life.

John Schroeder
5/7/2021
Choi
Final research essay

Works Cited

http://www.china.org.cn/english/culture/73914.htm

https://www.comuseum.com/ceramics/han-to-jin/#:~:text=During%20the%20Han

%20dynasty%2C%20two,pottery%20and%20high%2Dfired%20porcelain.&text=Towards

%20the%20end%20of%20the,(Yueyao%2C%20%E8%B6%8A%E7%AA%AF).

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/42361#:~:text=This%20glazed

%20pottery%20figure%20depicts,eyes%2C%20and%20tightly%20clenched

%20jaws.&text=During%20the%20Han%20dynasty%2C%20it,humans%20company%20in

%20the%20afterlife.

https://www.kimbellart.org/collection/ap-199501

http://www.artsmia.org/art-of-asia/ceramics/early-chinese-ceramics-han.cfm