Steeds are often referred to by the number "eight," a long-standing custom rooted in the legend of King Mu of the Zhou Dynasty possessing eight fine horses. These eight steeds not only reveal people's enduring fondness for excellent horses since ancient times but also reflect, from another perspective, the deep-seated influence of the zodiac horse culture.
Since ancient times, the Chinese people have loved to travel across the world, and naturally, they could not do so without horses. According to legend, King Mu of the Zhou Dynasty possessed eight divine steeds that accompanied him throughout his life as he visited famous mountains and great rivers. The origin of "King Mu's Eight Steeds" can be traced back to King Wu of Zhou releasing the horses to the mountains. After King Wu conquered the Shang Dynasty and pacified the realm, he ordered the warhorses conscripted for battle to be released to the southern side of Mount Hua, and the oxen to be released to the fields of Taolin, thereby informing the people that the war was over and weapons would no longer be used, hoping the people would devote themselves wholeheartedly to production. This is recorded in the "Book of Documents: Completion of the War" (Shangshu: Wucheng), which states: "Thus he ceased warfare and promoted culture, releasing the horses to the southern side of Mount Hua, and letting the oxen graze in the wilds of Taolin, demonstrating to the world that they would no longer be used for military service."
The horses scattered and raised on Mount Hua were the descendants of the warhorses from Kuafu Mountain, retaining their ancestors' heroic spirit in their wild nature. The charioteer Zaofu was not only skilled in driving chariots but also excelled at taming horses. He selected eight fine horses from Kuafu Mountain, trained them, and presented them to King Mu of Zhou. According to "Shuyi Ji (Records of Strange Things)," King Mu of Zhou raised these eight fine horses on Longchuan (Dragon River) in the East Sea. On the island grew a type of grass called Longse (Dragon Grass); after eating this grass, each horse could travel a thousand miles in a single day, and all could soar through clouds and mist like dragons.
According to the "Liezi: King Mu of Zhou" chapter, King Mu of Zhou ordered the use of these eight fine horses to pull his chariot. The right inner horse was Bi Luo, the left inner horse was Lü Er, the right outer horse was Chi Ji, and the left outer horse was Bai Xi. King Mu's chariot was driven by Zao Fu, with Tai Bing serving as the right-hand attendant. For the following chariot, the right inner horse was Qu Huang, the left inner horse was Yu Lun, the left outer horse was Dao Li, and the right outer horse was Shan Zi. This chariot was driven by Bo Yao, with Can Bai as the driver and Ben Rong as the right-hand attendant.
According to legend, during King Mu of Zhou's westward journey on his eight fine horses, King Yan of Xu in the southeast led 36 feudal lords in rebellion, launching a sneak attack on the Zhou Dynasty. Hearing this news while indulging in pleasure and forgetting to return, King Mu urgently ordered Zao Fu to drive the chariot, racing back to Zhou at a thousand li per day. As soon as King Mu's flying chariot arrived, King Yan of Xu ceased his military activities and retreated into the deep mountains, never to reappear. After suppressing the rebellion, King Mu resumed his westward travels. He crossed the Yellow River from Luoyang, passed through the Shanxi Plateau, exited the Yanmen Pass to reach the Hetao region, then traversed Ningxia to the Hexi Corridor, crossed the Qilian Mountains, followed the shores of Qinghai Lake, and reached the Kunlun Mountains. His fine horses pulled the chariot all the way to the Yanzi Mountains where the sun rests, where he met the Queen Mother of the West whom he had long admired. Finally, he returned via the Qinghai grasslands through Gansu. This long journey was entirely thanks to the eight fine horses. In recognition of Zao Fu's contributions in presenting the horses and driving the chariot, King Mu enfeoffed him in the city of Zhao.
Later generations often used "King Mu's Eight Steeds" as a subject for painting, with the eight horses depicted in various poses, vivid and lifelike, often regarded as auspicious symbols and also used as a metaphor for "outstanding talents and virtuous individuals." In "Eight Steeds" created by Lang Shining (Giuseppe Castiglione), a court painter of the Qing Dynasty, eight horses assume different postures beneath misty clouds and green willows, meticulously rendered with realism, making it a representative work of horse paintings. Ai Qimeng (Ignaz Sichelbart), who served alongside Lang Shining in the Qing court painting academy, also created an "Eight Steeds" featuring rare and famous horses tributed to the Qing court from Central Asia and other regions, each with distinct spirit and form, vividly lifelike, fully demonstrating the artist's superb sketching skills. Modern painter Xu Beihong's "Eight Steeds" depicts eight horses with varied forms, graceful and dynamic, vividly and authentically portraying the horses' dashing and heroic bearing, making it a rare and precious masterpiece.
Extending from this is also "One Hundred Horses" (Bai Jun Tu), a painting featuring horses either galloping through the air, lying down and rolling, arching their chests and swishing their tails, gently turning their necks to look back, lowering their heads to graze, or raising their heads to neigh at the sky. The gathering of a hundred horses symbolizes the flourishing and prosperity of one's career.
Further Reading
Famous Horses of Antiquity
Among traditional modes of transportation, horse-drawn carriages held a pivotal position. Of course, the most prominent achievement of horses was their involvement in human warfare, with nearly every battle in ancient China featuring their presence. Some legendary horses were even recorded in history alongside famous generals, as heroes were matched with fine steeds, giving rise to numerous myths about warhorses: Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, dispatched General Li Guangli on an expedition to Dayuan (Ferghana) to acquire prized horses from the Western Regions, and the spoils of war were merely a dozen "blood-sweating horses" (Ferghana horses). These horses had a reddish coat, and their sweat appeared to bleed under sunlight, capable of traveling a thousand li (approximately 500 kilometers) in a day, earning them the prestigious name "heavenly horses" due to their rarity. Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King of Western Chu, felt too ashamed to face his elders east of the Wujiang River after his defeat and refused to cross it, but before committing suicide, he entrusted his beloved horse, Wuzhui (Dark Piebald), to the ferryman: "I have ridden this horse for five years, and it has never been matched, often covering a thousand li in a day. I cannot bear to kill it, so I give it to you." Even as he fell on his sword at the Wujiang River, the Hegemon-King could not help but feel sorrow and attachment for his steed Wuzhui, highlighting the profound bond between man and horse! In "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," the "Red Hare," capable of traveling a thousand li in a day, accompanied Guan Yu on his southern and northern campaigns, earning him great military achievements; Liu Bei's mount, Dilu (Dappled Gray), leaped across the Tanxi River at a critical moment, leaving the pursuing soldiers dumbfounded. Additionally, there is the saying, "Among men, Zhang Fei; among horses, Yuzhui (Jade Chaser)."