For more than a thousand years, Tang Sancai has been the ceramic the Chinese
state reaches for when it wants to say something lasting. In the 1970s and 1980s, Chinese leaders
presented Luoyang Tang Sancai to the heads of state and government of more than fifty countries;
the Ministry of Culture calls it an “oriental artistic treasure.” With China hosting
APEC 2026, that tradition has a new moment — and a new audience.
1,300 yearsA craft born in the Tang dynasty, still made by hand the same way. 50+ nationsPresented as a state gift to world leaders across five decades. Intangible heritageListed as national intangible cultural heritage in 2008.
The 16-inch Tang horse — the form most often chosen as a gift of state, and our signature official gift. Each horse is hand-built in Luoyang — the same workshop tradition behind a half-century of state gifts. The signature amber, green and cream glazes flow together in the kiln — the look that makes a piece recognisably Tang Sancai. Fresh from the kiln, every piece is inspected, cleaned and gift-packed. Numbered, signed and issued with a certificate of authenticity. ‹ ›
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The 16-inch Tang horse — our flagship official gift
When an institution or a delegation asks for “the Tang horse,” this is the piece we
reach for: a 16-inch hand-built Tang Sancai horse, glazed in the classic three-colour palette and
fired twice in Luoyang. It is large enough to hold a reception room, and quiet enough to read as a
cultural statement rather than a logo. Three finishes are available.
Tang Tri-colour Horse — Black · 16 inch $50016-inch · handmade Tang Tri-colour Horse — Amber · 16 inch $50016-inch · handmade Tang Tri-colour Horse — Brown · 16 inch $50016-inch · handmade
Each 16-inch horse is built to order, numbered and signed, and shipped
individually with a certificate of authenticity. Trade and official volumes are handled as
commissions — contact us with “Official Gift” in the
subject to plan editions and lead time.
An official gift with a documented history
Tang Sancai — “three-colour” lead-glazed pottery in amber, green and cream —
is not a recent invention for the gift market. It was the decorative art of the Tang court, and in
modern times it became one of China’s most recognised state gifts. According to the Ministry
of Culture, from the 1970s through the 1980s, Party and state leaders gave Luoyang Tang Sancai
craftworks to the presidents, monarchs and prime ministers of more than fifty countries. Premier
Zhou Enlai is recorded as presenting it to foreign heads of state in the early years of the
People’s Republic. The pieces on this page belong to that line of work.
The horse is the form most often chosen as a gift of state — a symbol of stature and goodwill that reads the same in any language.
Why Tang Sancai works as a formal gift
A good official gift has to do several things at once: carry meaning, survive the journey, and
never feel like a throwaway. Tang Sancai does all three.
- It is unmistakably Chinese. A glazed horse or camel is read as Chinese cultural
heritage the moment it is seen — no explanation needed. - It is a recorded tradition of state gifting. The same object you give has been given
by Chinese leaders for half a century, so it arrives with precedent, not improvisation. - It is handmade and limited. Each piece is built and glazed by hand and fired twice;
the glaze never runs the same way twice, so no two are identical. - It travels well. Pieces are packed individually for long-distance shipping, signed,
numbered and issued with a certificate of authenticity.
The APEC 2026 opportunity
2026 is the APEC “China Year.” As host, China has the region’s attention on its
cities, its industries and its culture — and APEC has already become a stage for Chinese
traditional products. At the 2026 APEC Digital Week in Chengdu, “Tianfu good products”
including intangible-cultural-heritage crafts were shown to delegates from across the Asia-Pacific.
A heritage object like Tang Sancai fits naturally into that moment: a gift that is both a cultural
statement and a collectible, suitable for the delegates, partners and institutions that APEC brings
together.
The three glazes — amber, green and cream — flow and meet in the kiln, the signature look that makes the piece recognisably Tang Sancai.
Gift-ready by default
Every Wemings piece is prepared for giving, not just for display.
After the firing, each piece is inspected, cleaned and dressed at the base. Pieces are numbered, signed and issued with a certificate of authenticity.
Making it yours for an official order
For state, corporate and institutional gifting we can adapt a piece to the occasion:
- Editioning for an event — a numbered, limited run created for a summit,
anniversary or signing ceremony. - Presentation — gift boxing, bilingual certificates and cards, and discreet
customisation where appropriate. - Scale and subject — from a single signature horse to a matched set built around
a theme or a delegation. - Quantity — trade and official volumes are handled as commissions, planned around
the firing schedule rather than taken from shelf stock.
Start a gift enquiry
If you are planning gifts for a delegation, an institution or a corporate occasion —
especially around APEC 2026 — tell us the occasion, the number of pieces and the timeline.
We will propose subjects, editions and presentation, and quote lead time from the workshop schedule.
Browse the collection to see the forms we make, or
contact us with “Official Gift” in the subject to begin
an enquiry.