Taking care of loved ones in the afterlife was and still is very important to the Chinese people. For thousands of years copies of the things which were used in real life were interred with the dead. One of the most important examples is the tomb of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor. In 1974 a whole army of more than 7000 life-size pottery soldiers and horses were discovered guarding his tomb in Xian. In later dynasties funerals became less lavish and tomb figures smaller. During the Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644), blue, green, brown and aubergine glazes were used to give pottery, also called tile-works, objects more appeal. Our collection contains a large number of figurines, horses, houses, furniture and offerings which give a good idea of the daily needs of the people during this important period.