Painted Earthenware Figure

Northern Wei period, early 6th century 

Representing a military official, this figure wears front and back armour plates, attached by straps over the shoulders (liangdang armour), over formal clothing – a long-sleeved jacket and baggy trousers bound at the knees. The small, flattened hat fastened with a bow set in the centre (pingshangze) was widely used by men in the sixth century in China.