Easter Han dynasty (AD 25-220)

Length 119.5 cm, Height 36.5 cm, Thickness 9 cm

Excavated at Xinye, Henan Province 1986

This brick is rectangular. There are two performing chariots on the left part of the brick. There is one mast in each chariot.

A performer squats on the mast of the first chariot with his left hand holding the foot of another performer and right hand drawing the rope. One performer holds a balancing pole in both hands. Two chariots are connected with a rope and there is one performer hung upside down on it. There is an arched bridge in the centre of the composition, across which a chariot is processing pulled by two horses. The charioteer stands at the front, driving the horses with the reins, while a man goes by in a boat underneath the bridge. There are two charioteers, one driving the horses and the other steering the chariot. The two figures to the right of the bridge offer a reverential greeting. The upper section of the bridge is decorated with an image of a man bearing a spear pursuing two beasts. In the upper section of the right hand side we see two figures dueling with swords.

Chinese acrobatics originated in the Eastern Zhou period, and underwent extensive development over the course of the Han dynasty. This pictorial brick depicting a chariot performance is a highly realistic relief carving of these exceptional acrobatic performances.