In ancient China, ox horns were widely popular as a distinctive decorative item. They could be seen not only in the ornamentation of artifacts and architecture but also as personal adornments in clothing and accessories. This demonstrates that ox horns held a special significance in people's hearts.
The representation of the twelve zodiac animals in artistic works is mostly limited to forms such as paper cutting, painting, and carving, and is rarely seen in decorative arts. However, the Ox of the zodiac, particularly its horns, serves as an important decorative item, vividly appearing in utensil decoration, architectural ornamentation, and even human body adornment.
Decorations on Artifacts
In the minds of ancient Chinese people, the ox was a symbol of auspiciousness. Therefore, it was only natural to make utensils from ox horns or decorate objects with ox horn shapes and patterns. Because ox horns are hollow and shaped like a trumpet, narrow at the top and wide at the bottom, they can produce sound when blown. As a result, ancient ancestors often used them as horns to transmit information and issue commands, believing that they could overcome evil spirits and demons. Legend has it that during the battle between the Yellow Emperor (Huangdi) and Chi You, the ox horn trumpet helped the Yellow Emperor defeat Chi You. After a long period of development, the ox horn trumpet gradually evolved into a specialized musical instrument.
Additionally, the ancients often used ox-horn tools for hunting. A set of hunting ox dances is depicted in rock paintings at the first site of Cangyuan in Yunnan Province, featuring five dancers. Below, two figures hold bows and arrows, aiming to shoot to the right; the middle figure is blurry; above, one figure holds a shield in one hand and a large club in the other, making a striking gesture. The leftmost figure holds a large ox horn in one hand and a short staff in the other, dancing with both arms raised. The ox-horn bearer serves as both the lead dancer and the hunting commander, using the horn to control the direction of the prey and the rhythm of the hunt. Today, ethnic groups such as the Miao, Yao, and Tujia in China still use ox horns as ritual implements.
Architectural Decoration
In ancient times, people often hung animal heads, bones, and horns on their doors as decorations, with water buffalo horns, yellow ox horns, and yak horns being among the most common adornments. To this day, the Tibetan people still hang ox horns on their doors after slaughtering cattle, where the number of horns symbolizes the hunter's skill and success in hunting. Residents of Jianhe and Jiuyang in Guizhou Province often place a pair of ox horns on their granaries, believing this can ward off evil spirits and protect the grain storage. The Li ethnic group ties ox horns to the top of a wooden pole, which is then inserted in front of, behind, or beside the house, serving as a spiritual object to repel evil. The Lhoba people in Tibet like to hang ox horns on the walls of their homes, praying for good fortune and peace for the household.
The Miao people believe there is a close relationship between the ox and the dragon, so they often use water buffalo horns as dragon horns. In Miao batik, painting, embroidery, cross-stitch, and paper-cutting patterns, the dragon is always depicted with water buffalo horns. Many Miao villages also have bronze drum squares, where people gather to play bronze drums and dance during major festivals. At the center of the square stands a pole, and near the top of the pole, a pair of large water buffalo horns (made of wood) extends horizontally on both sides. The bronze drum is hung from these horns, symbolizing wealth and good fortune.
Body decoration
The love of beauty has existed since ancient times. A jade figurine unearthed from the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BCE) tomb of Fu Hao at Yinxu wears ox horns as an ornament. A silk painting from Zidanku, Changsha, depicts a deity adorned with sharp ox horns. Tang Dynasty (618-907) murals also vividly portray women wearing ox horns as headdresses. This shows that using ox horns as head ornaments has a long history and has been preserved in many regions. The Li ethnic group practices tattooing, and the tattoo pattern is the shape of ox horns, which they believe can protect the body and ward off evil. The Shui ethnic group has a "horn-locking dance" performed by people dressed as oxen, all wearing ox-head props. Miao women in Leishan and Taijiang, Guizhou, often wear large, ornate silver ox horns on their heads, which serve both as a talisman against evil and as a symbol of family wealth. In Shaanxi, during celebrations for elderly birthdays, there is a folk tradition of giving "ox-nose bridge shoes." These cloth shoes have a protruding ridge at the front resembling an ox's nose, with two small horns on top. Granddaughters give these shoes to their grandparents, wishing them a long and healthy life, as enduring as an ox.
Further Reading
The legend of the Yellow Emperor using an ox horn horn to battle Chiyou in warfare.
Legend has it that the Yellow Emperor (Huangdi) and Chi You fought several battles, each achieving victories and defeats. In the end, the Yellow Emperor defeated Chi You using ox horns as trumpets. According to the "Tongdian·Yuedian" (Comprehensive Institutions·Music Section): "Chi You led chimei and wangliang monsters to fight the Yellow Emperor at Zhuolu. The Emperor ordered horns to be blown, producing a dragon's roar to counter them." The chimei led by Chi You were monsters with human faces and animal bodies, while the wangliang were long-eared, one-eyed, black-bodied creatures. They could emit strange sounds to confuse people. Those who heard these sounds would become drowsy, even losing consciousness and fighting spirit, causing the Yellow Emperor to repeatedly lose to Chi You. Later, the Yellow Emperor discovered a solution: blowing ox horns. On the battlefield, the horns produced a sound like a dragon's roar, terrifying Chi You's chimei and wangliang and rendering them incapable of fighting. Thus, the Yellow Emperor finally defeated Chi You and unified all the tribes. Perhaps it was precisely due to this mythological historical legend that people were inspired to use ox horns as musical instruments and these instruments as signals.