The Role Of Horses In Chinese Mythology

Horses are real creatures, of the family Equidae—quick-paced, hoofed quadrupeds, existing now and historically, in China, among other places. Many breeds have been used or developed for food, transportation, and for military power for thousands of years, in the area of China, and elsewhere, as well as sometimes being loved or cherished, as pets’ companions, or inspirations for art. One role of the horse, in China, has been important in society and culture: a role sometimes existing in the realm of myth and legend. As transmitted by Han Chinese as well as other ethnic groups. There are various motifs of horses in Chinese mythology. Horses are an important motif in Chinese mythology. It was closely associated with the dragon, with both thought capable of flight and of carrying their riders to the "home of the immortals." The ability to fly has been associated with survival throughout all of Chinese history. …show more content…
According to the sinologist Victor Mair, the Chinese have “a strained attachment to the horse” Chinese emperors understood the fundamental importance of the horse to the maintenance of power. They put horses on a