Introduction to Ma Ta Fei Yan

The bronze galloping horse of the Eastern Han Dynasty is 34.5 centimeters tall, 45 centimeters long, 13 centimeters wide and weighs 7.15 kilograms. The horse holds its head high and neighs. It has a strong trunk, slender limbs, and light legs. It flies forward with three legs in the air, and one foot steps on a flying swallow. A huge horse rides on the back of a galloping dragon bird. The little dragon bird looks back in surprise, showing the majestic appearance of the horse flying in the air and running fast.

The Bronze Galloping Horse of the Eastern Han Dynasty, also known as Ma Chao Longque, Ma Tao Feiyan, Bronze Galloping Horse, Ma Xi Crow, Eagle Plundering Horse, Ma Tao Fei Falcon, Lingyun Galloping Horse, etc., is a bronze ware of the Eastern Han Dynasty, 1969 It was unearthed in October from the Leitai Han Tomb in Wuwei City, Gansu Province and is now in the Gansu Provincial Museum.

Extended information:

Cultural Relic Appreciation

The practical problem of the Eastern Han Dynasty bronze galloping horse standing under dynamic flying. Similar practices are not seen in similar horse shapes such as murals and stone portraits. The bronze galloping horse of the Eastern Han Dynasty is an object with volume and weight that unfolds in a three-dimensional space. It is also highly dynamic and appears to be flying on three legs. If the same method as the mural is used, it will be impossible to keep the galloping horse balanced.

So a bird-shaped base was added to its feet to fix it, which solved this practical problem. It is obviously carefully designed. It not only complies with the principles of flat mechanics, but also perfectly solves the lightness of the galloping horse and the stability of the object. This is its brilliance.

Creative techniques

The Eastern Han Dynasty Bronze Galloping Horse used a highly realistic technique in its creation. In China's pre-Qin era, sculpture, especially pure plastic works, was not a major part of art. Bronze sculptures mainly exist as imitators or partial decorations. In terms of modeling method, it is also highly decorative and poor in realism like bronze decoration.

This aspect is completely different from the sculpture modeling methods of ancient Greece and Rome. But in the Qin and Han Dynasties, not only did sculptures increase in number, but they also reached the peak of realism in artistic techniques. They were not only huge in size, but also detailed in detail, such as the terracotta warriors and horses and bronze chariots and horses unearthed from the Qin Mausoleum.

Baidu Encyclopedia - Horse Treading on Flying Swallows