Galloping through Chinese history

In the ancient Chinese classic Journey to the West, the Monkey King is appointed bimawen, a title that sounds like "avoiding horse plague" in Chinese and is associated with caring for horses in the heavenly court. Though often treated as comic, the role reflects a genuine ancient belief: keeping monkeys in stables could protect horses from disease.

The custom appears repeatedly in historical texts and ancient brick reliefs. Yet in surviving paintings, it is known from only one work — a massive scroll portraying dozens of grooms tending nearly 100 horses. The painting is now on display at the new exhibition Divine Steeds: The World of Horses in the Palace Museum's Painting and Calligraphy Collections at the Palace Museum, the former imperial palace that served Chinese emperors from 1420 to 1911.

Running through June 21, the exhibition brings together 55 horse-themed paintings and calligraphy works from the museum's collection. Among them, 28 are being shown publicly for the first time, while 20 are classified as China's highest-grade cultural relics.

According to Zeng Jun, head of the museum's Department of Paintings and Calligraphy, horse paintings occupy a special place in the history of Chinese art because they reflect not only artistic achievement, but also broader historical and spiritual ideals.

"From the simplicity and vigor of the Qin (221-206 BC) and Han (206 BC-AD 220) dynasties, to the fully developed techniques of Tang (618-907) and Song (960-1279) paintings, and through the inheritance of the Yuan (1271-1368), Ming (1368-1644), and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, horse painting has remained closely connected to the evolution of the times, the spirit of the nation, and the aspirations of the literati," she says.

For curator Ma Shunping, the exhibition also tells the story of the enduring bond between Chinese people and horses. "Chinese people began domesticating horses in the late Neolithic era," Ma says. "Since then, horses have remained deeply connected to daily life and social development."

From the Qin and Han dynasties, innovations such as saddles and stirrups transformed transportation and mobility. Horse riding gradually replaced carriage travel and spread beyond the aristocracy into broader society, Ma says.

"Officials and scholars traveled on horseback for leisure and duty, while merchants journeyed for their livelihood," Ma says. "With horses beside them, people crossed mountains and rivers and left their footprints across the country."