The Horse in Chinese History and Art

From the plough to the battlefield, from solemn ritual to a metaphor of destiny, the horse has occupied a central place in China’s imagination and history for millennia. An indispensable companion to humankind and a spiritual symbol of energy, speed, and auspicious fortune, this animal has accompanied the evolution of Chinese civilization on both a practical and a symbolic level.
The exhibition devoted to the equestrian theme offers a broad and refined perspective on this profound relationship, spanning roughly a thousand years of artistic and cultural history. Monumental bronzes from the Han Era convey the power of imperial processions and the strategic role of the horse in state authority, while delicate jade sculptures reveal a more spiritual vision, in which the steed becomes a vehicle of transcendence and cosmic vitality. The journey extends to modern painting, where the gesture of ink captures not only form, but the animal’s “inner force,” made of sinew, breath, and movement. Taken as a whole, the exhibition presents the horse as an image of renewal and forward momentum. With the arrival of spring, the gallop becomes a metaphor for new beginnings: an invitation to seize the opportune moment, to move ahead with determination, and to read history not as a burden, but as a vital impulse that continues to resonate in the present.