In 577, the economically weaker but militarily tougher Northern Zhou conquered the Northern Qi. In 581, it was in turn taken over by one of its military lords, Yang Jian, who as Emperor Wendi (r. 581–604) established the Sui dynasty (581–618) and went on to unify all of China. In 618, Li Yuan, who ruled as Emperor Gaozu (r. 618–26), took over the empire from the Sui and founded the Tang dynasty, which expanded the reach of the empire well into Central Asia.

In government and military institutions the Sui and Tang followed in the main the Northern Zhou model, but in material culture the Northern Qi provided the major component. It is not surprising that an appreciation and adaptation of foreign luxury goods, particularly metalwork, clothing styles, and even makeup, marked the culture of the Tang dynasty, which, particularly from the mid-seventh to the mid-eighth century, is considered one of the great periods in Chinese history.

The bright, splashed glazes covering the forms of the camel and musicians exemplify the well-known sancai, or three-color, glaze of the Tang period, which has long been renowned for its pottery sculptures and paintings of horses. The sculpture is from the tomb of Xianyu Tianghui (660–723), an official who achieved high military rank in the mid-eighth century, a time when the music and performing arts flourished. Music in the early Tang came from every part of Asia, but the most popular type was from Kucha in Central Asia. The long tunics, cloth hats, and facial hair of the figures riding on top of the camel indicate their foreign origin. The short-necked lute or pipa held by one of the seated figures is a Central Asian instrument introduced to China in the second century. It has a shallow pear-shaped body and four silk strings, which run from a fastener on the belly to the turning pegs at the sides. By the eighth century, use of this instrument had spread to Korea, Japan, and, possibly, Vietnam.