Horses in Chinese mythology

Horses play a special role in the stories and beliefs of ancient China. Many myths tell about horses or creatures that look like horses, including the pony. These stories come from the lands that are now part of China, shared by many different groups of people.

In these myths, horses sometimes are the main characters, and other times they help others by pulling a chariot. Horses were very important in old China, not just for stories but also for travel and war.

One special time in the Chinese calendar was from January 31, 2014, to February 18, 2015, which was known as the Year of the Wood Horse. This shows how horses continue to be a symbol in Chinese culture.

Myth versus history

In Chinese culture, stories about the past often have two versions. One version tells things that really happened, while the other adds magical or mythical elements. This is true for stories about horses in Chinese myths as well. Some tales about horses are told in a way that feels more like real history, while others are filled with wonder and imagination.

Background

Horses are real animals that belong to the Equidae family. They are fast, four-legged creatures with hooves that have been around for a long time, not just in China but in many places. People have used horses for many things, like moving around, eating, and even in battles. Horses have also been loved as pets and have inspired many works of art. In China, horses have played an important role in culture and stories, sometimes appearing in myths and legends.

The donkey is also part of the equid family, but it is usually smaller and not as respected in Chinese culture. Still, some important people, like the Immortal Zhang Guolao, chose to ride donkeys. For example, Zhang Guolao had a magic donkey. The Emperor Wu of Han believed that special horses could take him to heaven and called them "tian ma," meaning "heavenly horse."

Zodiacal horse

Main article: Horse (zodiac)

The Chinese zodiac has twelve animals, one for each year in a twelve-year cycle. The Horse is the seventh animal in this cycle. One story explains this order through a race. The animals had to cross a river to decide their places. The Rat and Ox crossed easily, as did the Tiger, Dragon, and Rabbit. The Horse is very fast on land but not as strong in water. However, the Snake secretly rode on the Horse’s hoof and jumped off just before the finish line, moving ahead of the Horse. Because of this, the Horse came in seventh place, even though it is usually very quick.

Origins of sericulture

Main article: Sericulture

In some old stories, horses are linked to how people first began raising silk from silkworms. These stories are different from the tale about Leizu. One story tells of a girl in China who missed her father very much when he was sent far away to fight in a war. She promised a family horse that she would marry him if he went to find her father and bring him home. The horse went and brought her father back, but her father was shocked by the idea and killed the horse. Later, the girl disappeared in a magical way and was found to have turned into a silkworm. This led to the tale of the Horse-Head Lady, a goddess who helps people raise silk.

Various horses and composite creatures

In Chinese myths, horses often appear in unusual and magical ways. They might have features from many different creatures, making them special and wonderful. Real exotic horses, like the Ferghana horse, were sometimes described with magical qualities, such as "blood-sweating" or "heavenly" horses.

Longma

Further information: Longma

"Longma" means dragon-horse. Stories say that a longma helped reveal important early maps and was a sign of legendary wise rulers, like the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. The monk Xuanzang was said to have traveled with a famous white dragon-horse to bring Buddhist teachings to China. The "White Horse Temple" is a famous name for old Buddhist temples.

Buddhist White Horse

The white horse is linked to bringing Buddhist teachings to China. Temples like the Luoyang White Horse Temple remember two Buddhist monks who arrived on white horses from Afghanistan. Another temple in Dunhuang honors a monk and his white horse who carried Buddhist scriptures along the Silk Road from Kucha in the 4th century.

Journey to the West

Further information: Journey to the West

In the famous story Journey to the West, one of the main characters appears as a white horse but is really a dragon named Yulong. He helps the monk Xuanzang on his journey to fetch important writings from far away. The white horse also stands for strong will and careful thinking in the story.

Horse-faces

Further information: Ox-Head and Horse-Face

Horse-Face creatures were guards in stories about the afterlife place called Diyu. They worked with Ox-Head to help guide souls to their judgments.

Tianma

Further information: Tianma

"Tianma" means "heavenly horse." These mythic horses had wings and dragon-like features. Sometimes they were linked to stars or special events. Real horses from Central Asia were also famous for their size and strength. These magical horses are connected to the time of the Han dynasty and Emperor Han Wudi, and were celebrated in poems from the Tang dynasty.

Chariot

In ancient times, chariots were usually pulled by horses. These wooden vehicles were important for travel and war. One famous story tells of King Mu of Zhou who, in a wonderful journey, rode in a chariot pulled by magical horses to visit Kunlun and meet the Queen Mother of the West, Xi Wangmu.

Chinese unicorn (Qilin)

The word "qilin" is often translated into English as "unicorn," but it is really more like a special kind of deer, not a horse. It is a one-horned animal, but we do not know if it had an odd or even number of toes, so scientists are unsure about its exact classification.

Ancient Chinese stories, like those in the Shanhaijing, tell of amazing creatures. One is the Bo-horse, which looks like a mix between a horse and an ox. It has a single horn, a white body, and makes a sound like a person calling. It lives on Honest-head Mountain and can walk on water. Another creature, also called Bo, lives on Mount Winding-Centre. It has a black tail, teeth and claws like a tiger, and can eat leopards and tigers.