Sancai pottery model depicts courtyard from 1,000 years ago

What was a private residence of a noble or rich family in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) like? The answer lies in this exquisite sancai courtyard model.

This quadrangle features a front hall, a rear bedroom, side rooms, pavilions and a garden. Its ordered arrangement and rational layout reflect the ancient Chinese architectural traits of enclosure and symmetry, capturing the authentic essence of such dwellings more than 1,000 years ago. Meanwhile, the garden adds a touch of enchanting “variety” with its artificial hill and pool.

Unearthed from a tomb in Xi’an, the sancai courtyard model is in the permanent collection of the Shaanxi History Museum.