Introduction of Product
For the highest level of protection, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage has announced that over 100 of China's top relics will not be allowed out of the country. The Bronze Galloping Horse, or the renowned "Galloping Horse Treading on a Flying Swallow", from the East Han Dynasty, is one of these highly-protected treasures.
Ever since it was unearthed from an ancient general's tomb in Wuwei county in Southwestern China's Gansu Province 39 years ago, the glory has never left the Bronze Galloping Horse. If anyone wants to find the best ancient bronze work in China, a trip to Gausu to see the Bronze Galloping Horse is a must.
What makes the statue so special? With suspense and curiosity, I stepped into the Gansu Provincial Museum.
Outlined by the soft lights of the exhibition hall, the green oxidation that has formed over thousands of years adds a touch of mystery to the Bronze Galloping Horse. Three of its hoofs are kicking into the air, with only its back-right hoof treading on a flying swallow. The swallow, startled, is turning back with its eyes wide-open. And the horse seems to also feel that something is wrong. Gasping, it bends its head to the left.
For me, the statue doesn't seem to be made by man but instead it seems created by some mysterious power. The moment the horse touched the swallow, everything was frozen in time.
Cai Jiangbo is a commentator at the museum. As a history major, he says the bronze work is precious in many ways.
"As a statue made 2,000 years ago, it's amazing how it has been so carefully balanced according to the dynamics. The Bronze Galloping Horse weights 8 kg, and you can see all the weight is supported by only one thin back right leg. Experiments have shown that it could be made only after finding the exact center of gravity. The Bronze Galloping Horse is a representative work of the East Han Dynasty, the apex of bronze craftsmanship. Also, its posture, neighing and gallop, are believed to be perfect symbols of the enterprising and indomitable spirit of China. That's why its image has been applied so widely, home and abroad."
All the way back in the East Han Dynasty, Wuwei County, where the Bronze Galloping Horse was found, was a crucial location. Not only was it the frontier where the natives resisted the intruding Huns, but also, it served as an important stop on the ancient Silk Road. The key route for communication between ancient Asia and Europe. No matter whether used for war or for transportation, horses were important. And Cai Jiangbo tells us that one detail about the statue reflects part of the once active culture in the area.
"You can see the horse is ambling, with its two right legs stepping forward, and the two left ones backward. Actually, in the historical record, there were indeed horse breeds that walked and ran in this way. They were the mixed-blood Hexi Horse breed from inland China, the Menggu breed from Mongolia and the Hanxue breed from the Ancient Afghanistan area."
In recent years, countries along the ancient Silk Road, including China, Kazakhstan and Italy, are applying as world cultural heritage sites on the Silk Road. And, surely, the Bronze Galloping Horse will always be a beautiful reminder of the once bustling route.
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