Terracotta figures refer to various human and animal figures made of clay, which is an important part of China's ancient plastic arts.

The pottery figurines of the past dynasties in the museum are rich in themes and diverse in forms. Most of them come from archaeological excavations, forming a relatively complete chronological sequence of the Han Dynasty, the Northern Dynasty, the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the Song and the Ming Dynasties. The Han Dynasty figurines are simple and dignified, the Southern Dynasty figurines are beautiful and dignified, the Northern Dynasty figurines are bold and unconstrained, and the Sui and Tang Dynasty figurines are full and graceful, reflecting different characteristics of the times and artistic styles. Especially the Han figurines are the most prominent, and they are the typical representative of the cultural relics of the Han Dynasty in Xuzhou.

Part I: Pottery figurines of the Han Dynasty

The Han Dynasty was the most popular and the largest number of pottery figurines buried in ancient China. Compared with the Qin figurines, the proportion of Han figurines was smaller and more life-like.

More than 6000 pottery figurines of the Han Dynasty were unearthed in Xuzhou, the largest number of pottery figurines found during the Han Dynasty except for the capital Chang'an. Terra Cotta Warriors of Lion Mountain with huge military formation and simple shape; Elegant, graceful, fine-handed zither figurines with basket and mountain music; The Beidongshan Terracotta Warriors with bright colors and lifelike looks are rare treasures in China.

1. Restoration and display of the terracotta burial pits in the eastern area of the Chu Tomb at Shizishan

There are nearly 20 large and orderly cluster burial pits in the eastern area of Shizishan Chu Mausoleum. The restored and displayed here are the terracotta burial pits excavated in 2004. The pits are 3.2 meters long from north to south, 2.3 meters wide from east to west, and 2.5 meters deep. There are 142 pottery figurines in the pit, mainly the bodyguard figurines wearing a crown and a deep robe. The excavation proves that these figurines should have wooden weapons with long handles. On the north side of the group, there is a standing pottery figurine with a slightly higher shape. According to the research, the pit symbolizes the guard team of the King of Chu's court, and the terracotta figures standing on the north side of the group should be the leader of the guard team.

2. Huangmen maid - painted terracotta figures from the tomb of the King of Chu at Beidongshan

In seven niches on both sides of the tomb of the King of Chu in Beidongshan, 224 painted pottery figurines were unearthed, including soldiers, arrows and wats. Most of these terracotta figures are well preserved. Their clothing colors are rich and varied, their clothing lines are smooth and elegant, their facial expressions are vivid and detailed, and their eyebrows, eyes and whiskers are as thin as a hair. They are the best group of painted terracotta figures with preserved colors in the Han Dynasty found so far in China. A considerable number of painted pottery figurines have an ink book "Lang Zhong" or "Zhong Lang" on the lower end of the ribbon. The research suggests that these painted pottery figurines should be the Su Wei attendants of the King of Chu.

3. Miraculous and good at dancing -- Dancers in the Tomb of the King of Chu at Tuolan Mountain

A group of figurines of music and dance on the Tuoban Mountain displayed here reproduces the scene of court music and dance of the State of Chu in the Western Han Dynasty. There are two kinds of terracotta dancers and musical figurines. There are two kinds of terracotta dancers, one with a single sleeve and the other with a double sleeve. The former is elegant and implicit, while the latter is warm and unrestrained; The figurines are focused on playing musical instruments. They have different postures, such as stroking, blowing and striking. According to the history, Liu Bang's favorite wife, Ji Qi, is good at the "dance of bending the sleeves and waist". These terracotta dancers unearthed in Xuzhou should perform the popular Chu dance at that time.

4. Terra Cotta Warriors from the Tomb of King Chu on Lion Mountain

The Terra Cotta Warriors Pit of the Han Dynasty in Xuzhou is located about 400 meters west of the tomb of the King of Chu on the Lion Mountain. A total of six Terra Cotta Warriors pits have been found, which are divided into two groups of pits in the north and south. The southern part is composed of four terracotta pits, including three east-west pits and one north-south pit, and the northern part is composed of two east-west pits for chariots and horses, which together form a well-organized and complementary army formation of the State of Chu. A total of more than 4000 pottery figurines were unearthed, including military officials, infantry, chariot soldiers, cavalry and pottery horses.

According to historical records, "Chu's soldiers are too light to compete", and the Terra Cotta Warriors Pit on Lion Mountain fully represents the true historical features of Chu's army in the early Western Han Dynasty.

Part II Meaningful and Benefiting China -- Pottery figurines of the Wei, Jin and Southern and Northern Dynasties

On the basis of inheriting the essence of the previous generation's pottery sculpture craft, the pottery figurines of the Wei, Jin and Southern and Northern Dynasties found in Xuzhou area are rich in content and diverse in form. They are both beautiful in the Southern Dynasty and rugged in the Northern Dynasty. They pay special attention to the portrayal of the characters' expressions, and have a high artistic level. The figurines of civil officials have a peaceful face, a slender figure, and a wide range of clothes and belts, reflecting the elegance and elegance of the Wei and Jin dynasties; The Hu figurines have deep eyes, high nose, short clothes and trousers, which are quite different from the traditional costumes of the Central Plains; The animal terracotta figures are realistic and lifelike, with different postures.

Part III Wonderful Crafts of Shengbang -- Sui-Ming Dynasty Pottery figurines

The Sui and Tang Dynasties was another peak in the history of the development of ancient Chinese pottery sculpture art. The figurines of the Sui Dynasty follow the beauty of the figurines of the Wei and Jin Dynasties, and at the same time have the full and graceful appearance of the figurines of the Tang Dynasty. The three-color figurines of the Tang Dynasty are a unique type of figurines. A large number of the figurines of the king of heaven, civil officials, horses, camels and three-color town tomb animals were unearthed in the Tang Tomb of Huahuama Village in the north of Xuzhou, with high shapes and rich images. The pottery figurines of reclining women unearthed from the Song Tomb at the southern foot of the King of Chu Mountain, with the words "Lu Xiu Sculpture" carved on the bottom, are the works of Xiao Yao in the Song Dynasty.