During the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Xuanzong, Li Longji, was an avid horse lover. His imperial stables housed a hundred fine steeds tributed from the northern frontier. To indulge his passion for entertainment, he summoned a group of skilled trainers to the palace to school the horses.
These master trainers were experts in horse taming, and after an extended period of training, the fine steeds became extraordinary dancing horses. Each day, the spirited, tall horses were led into the imperial garden, neatly divided into two rows. Adorned with beautiful brocade and exquisite pearls and jade, they danced gracefully under the trainers' command, following the music as they advanced, retreated, circled, and moved with perfect rhythm and expression. The most outstanding among them even learned advanced moves like carrying a person onto a platform and spinning on a couch, leaving spectators in awe.
Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty was so impressed by the horse trainer's work that he held grand dancing horse performances on major festivals, where the emperor and his ministers celebrated together.
But soon after, the An Lushan Rebellion erupted, and Emperor Xuanzong of Tang fled to Sichuan for refuge, leaving these dancing horses to fall into the hands of An Lushan.
After An Lushan's death, these dancing horses fell into the hands of Tian Chengsi, the military governor of Weibo. Unaware of their history, Tian Chengsi assigned them all to his cavalry, using them as warhorses for his soldiers.
One day, Tian Chengsi was feasting his troops in camp. As he ordered the musicians to play, the dancing horses in the stables heard the music and immediately began to prance gracefully.
The stable guards, bewildered and fearing the horses had been possessed, rushed to report to Tian Chengsi.
When Tian Chengsi arrived and saw the horses, he believed they were causing supernatural mischief, so he ordered them captured and killed.
Unfortunately, these dancing horses, trained through the immense hardship and skill of their masters, met such a tragic and miserable end.
Later, the idiom "Qu Jin Qi Miao" came to describe expressing all the exquisite qualities with meticulous detail.
Source: Zheng Chuhui (Tang Dynasty), *Records of Emperor Ming*
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "曲尽其妙" came to describe expressing all the exquisite qualities with meticulous detail.