The important influence of the horse throughout the history of China cannot be over-estimated. In fact, the ancient expansion of the Chinese Empire was due in a large part to the horse. The rapid mobility of horses allowed for enhanced communication between distant provinces. Likewise, the military role of horses facilitated the conquest and submission of other lands as well as securing the borders against barbarian invaders. The need to import stronger, faster steeds from Central Asia (as opposed to the local Mongol pony) contributed to the creation of trading routes along what became known as the Silk Road. The significance of the horse in the history and culture of China can be viewed, in part, through the artistic legacy of this great civilization. In sculpture, painting and literature, horses are frequently glorified and revered as distant relatives of sacred, mythological dragons.
During the Tang dynasty the adoration of the horse is evident in their burial art. Horse models excavated from mausoleums of the period are among the most celebrated and splendid works of Chinese art. Naturally, owing to their rarity, horses became a status symbol for the aristocratic elite. Polo and other equestrian pastimes became popular. These sculptures depicting three ladies-in-waiting on horseback are remarkable for several reasons. Firstly, in each case, the lady and saddle detach from the body of the horse in one piece. Small traces of the original polychromy remain, most visibly on the ladies’ red lips. They each wear a long sleeved dress, a type of which was used in a popular dance where the excess of fabric was swirled around in the air. Unusually, each horse is depicted with its head raised, ears upright, and nostrils flaring. They intimidate us with their open mouths and visible teeth. Remarkably, the women seem unaffected by whatever has startled their steeds and they retain their dignified pose.