Dancer Figurine, Western Han period (206 BC–9 AD), 2nd century BC. Earthenware. Unearthed from the Tomb of the King of Chu, Tuolan Mountain, Xuzhou, Jiangsu. © Xuzhou Museum

With her dramatic posture and outstretched arms, the bold design of this figurine captures a dynamic and graceful moment of the “flying swallow” dance. Possibly belonging to the third king of the Chu kingdom, the Tuolan Mountain tomb housed an ensemble of these dancing figurines, allowing us to imagine the spectacle of courtly entertainment.