Horses

Horses are remarkable animals. They remind us of speed, power and success.

In ancient warfare, horses played an important role in winning a war. The Mongolian army led by Kublai Khan was invincible. They were successful in conquering so many countries in Asia and other regions of the world. Their success was partly due to the strong horses they bred. These horses were hardy and journeyed long distances, winning every war for the Mongolians. This was evident for the vast land in Asia and Europe they occupied.

There is a popular Chinese saying "Success comes when the horses arrived". 

In the old days, the power of engines were measured in horse power. This shows man's respect for this animal.

I love horses as well and I have always wanted to buy a carving of a strong horse that depicts power and speed. In a local open-market stall, I spotted one that I liked and bought it. It is a wood carving of a standing horse with the character Wealth in Chinese on its saddle. On the stand there is a Chinese phrase meaning A standing horse attracting wealth. Chinese craftsmen like to put in auspicious words in the art pieces. They can sell their stuff better as people like what they see.

A standing horse

Horses also appeared in painting as well as antique artifacts.

Tang dynasty men loved horses. They created master pieces of horse sculpture and glazed them in the most traditional way using few hue.The most sought after are the porcelain horses which were glazed in three colours. They can command hefty prices during auctions. Most big museums in the world will have such horses on display. They were lovely and adorable.

A Tang dynasty horse

Horses were also a favourite subject for the Tang dynasty artist. They created numerous art pieces that depicted horses in their everyday life.

Tang dynasty painting

Contemporary artist Xu Beihong is also famous for painting horses. If you possess a horse painting by Xu, that will make you an instant multi-millionaire.

Horse painting by Xu