Unknown
Chinese, central plains

Horse with Lady Rider, 618–906, early Tang dynasty
earthenware with light glaze and pigments
13 1/2 × 93/8 × 35/8 in.

SABMA, Gift of Dr. Phillip P. Ho in honor of his wife Meichih (Michi) T. Ho
2015.21.1a,b

RESEARCH PAPER

The Horse with Lady Rider is a clay funerary sculpture once buried with a deceased person to provide comfort in their afterlife. Such figures and models and other miniature or nonfunctional objects are collectively termed mingqi, pronounced ming-ch’i. They are "spirit articles" or “a vessel for ghost”, and they have been traditionally viewed as substitutes for the animals and human victims that were sacrificed at burials at other times, as well as surrogates for objects of value placed in the tombs. These objects were also placed in tombs in an attempt to re-create the earthly dwelling of the deceased in the tomb. Chinese tombs and burials signified the power and status of their builders and occupants while they were alive.

From the physical fitness of the lady rider one can assume it is from the 6th century CE or the 7th century CE. This sculpture was found inside a Duke’s tomb (公爵 [gōngjué). The fashionably attired, slender Lady Rider, seated regally atop a saddle, represents a new ideal of feminine beauty that became popularized in the beginning of the cosmopolitan Tang Dynasty. After the Han dynasty (206 BC-220 C.E.), the Tang Dynasty link to non-Chinese people and social customs remained strong. Nowhere was this diversity more apparent than in attitudes toward women, and the relative freedom that they were allowed. Figures from tombs depict women mounted on horseback, playing musical instruments, participating in hunts or in polo matches, or performing physically demanding dances. The women are depicted as thin and they wear tight-fitting clothing appropriate for the activities in which they are engaged, which is testimony to an athletic ideal of feminine beauty particular to the period. By the middle of eighth century, however, that ideal had changed; the women depicted in paintings and in mingqi from this time are plump; they wear elaborate, loose-fitting garments and decidedly impractical shoes, dress ill-suited to a strenuous, active life.

The lady rider wears a hat and a close-fitting outfit suited for the activity. A tight-sleeved jacket, embellished with decorative borders on her upper arms falls right above her waist, a fashion that derived from the Central Asian region. She wears a black head wrap under her hat, which could be removed and carried under her elbow, and which conceals part of her braided hair and neck. Originally evolved from a body-length veil designed for modesty and protection from the elements, the head wrap was a radical fashion development from the earlier Central Asian social custom.

Her exotic horse, a symbol of her wealthy status, has a red mane and spotted flank, resembling the modern Appaloosa breed, which is known for its spotted coat pattern. This horse was popular in northern China throughout several Dynasties. Figures of horses were placed in tombs because they were symbols of wealth and part of the comfortable lifestyle that the nobility enjoyed during that era. The horses were precious status objects of desire, imported from Afghanistan and Turkmenistan on the Silk Road, an ancient network of trade routes connecting Asia with the Middle East and Europe, and which for centuries was central to cultural interaction between them. The horse is both a religious and political symbol. The “heavenly horse", also known as Ma-Wang, so named when the Han emperor Wu believed that such mythical horses could carry him to heaven, was also the symbol of the life force in the pre-Buddhist and early Buddhist theology. From pre-Buddhist theology, brought to China from India, the horse was a reminder for believers to be aware of the need to keep a constant balance between their inner wild nature and their duty to others. “Even as the wild horse is tamed for human use, it is still wild”(3). Having better horses enabled the Han Dynasty emperors to unify china, so this horse was also associated with the power and authority of the court. And watching the hunt was as much a spectator sport as a participatory pastime for the Tang aristocracy. For all these reasons mingqi of humans riding “heavenly” horses were created for tombs, hoping to deliver both good fortune and joy to the afterlife.

Though not seen prior to the Tang Dynasty, figurines of women riding horses were found in several tombs in the northwestern region during the early decades of the Tang dynasty. One example that closely resembles the SBMA lady rider was excavated from the tomb of a military commander, in the imperial burial ground of Zheng Rentai, dated 664 CE. These two clay funerary sculptures share the decorative technique of applying a thin glaze before the application of pigments.

By the end of the seventh century CE, this sancai, pronounced ‘san ke ’ and meaning three color glazes were becoming the preferred finish for the mingqi that were to be interred in the tombs of the highest-ranking Tang aristocracy. The occupant of the tomb where this Horse with Lady Rider was placed was a Duke, and wares such as these could also be found in the tombs of princes, princesses, or similarly high ranked persons. Sancai three color wares are earthenware molded figures and vessels, boldly glazed with splashes of bright green and amber on a straw-colored ground. More rarely, blue or a purplish-brown were also added. The body of lead glazed sancai earthenware ceramics was made of white clay, coated with colored glaze, and fired at a temperature of 800 degrees Celsius. The appeal of sancai lay not only in its brilliant colors and expressive sculptural forms, but also in its ability to vividly evoke the dazzling, luxurious, cosmopolitan life of the Tang dynasty, providing a window into this fascinating golden age of China.

In private collections and museums, sancai pieces are highlights. The exotically shaped vessels provide visual evidence of Tang China’s taste for western luxuries; musicians, dignitaries, dancers and polo players richly illustrate the courtly life of more than a thousand years past. Towards the beginning of the 8th century, during the reign of the Empress Wu, 624-705 C.E., the use of sancai pottery in burials exploded to such an extent that, by 712, minister Tang Shao submitted a memorial to Emperor Ruizong stating that the use of life-like funerary objects ‘…… must finally lead to the squandering of wealth….if not suppressed can only cause the greatest extravagance. It is therefore my wish that all persons below noble rank should follow the official regulations, refraining from making a display of the funeral effigies along the streets and doing so only in the tomb’ (4). The majority of the pieces in these collections can be dated to this period of florescence, when the use of sancai was no longer confined to the nobility. The decoration and artistry displayed on these objects can be astounding, with elaborate molding coupled with the lavish use of multiple colors, including expensive imported cobalt blue. Not only was the body material much finer and more pure than before, but also the use of engraving and wax resists to create patterns is especially well controlled and effective in this period.

During the early Tang Dynasty, in the seventh and eight centuries CE, a large percent of the Chinese hereditary aristocracy moved from their ancestral homes to the great cities of Xian and Luoyang. In earlier dynasties, the competition for dominance among these aristocratic families was based on their wealth from inherited lands and titles, as well as by the influence they had gained from generations of regional power. Because they were large landholders as well as government officials, this elite controlled not only a great deal of the political power in China but also much of the means of production, as well as the material, resources, and the ability to trade for items. This elite group was powerful both in politics and as patrons of the arts. The concentration of the aristocracy in these cities now, however, both separated them from local power sources and brought them together with people of like backgrounds and interests. The accumulation of numerous wealthy, sophisticated, and worldly individuals with large amounts of leisure time, in a few locations created a true metropolitan elite that demanded an abundance of exotic luxury items; their changing material demands defined aesthetic taste and fashion. Art of all kinds flourished under their patronage, and this is exemplified in the surviving glories of the Tang capital at Xian, which was at the time the largest and most cosmopolitan city in the world.

The major population centers of the Tang Dynasty were located in the north, in what is now Hebei, Henan, and parts of Shaanxi province. Xian, located to the west of these population centers, was the logical point of entry for trade coming over the land route that connected China to the west. Along these roads came many of the exotic foreign goods that were so eagerly sought by the Tang court. The 7th and 8h centuries mark the point at which the Chinese were most outward looking; this was particularly true of the hereditary aristocracy. While still confident of the superiority of their culture, they were also in contact with other advanced cultures, which was something relatively new to China. A fascination with the material culture of people beyond their own immediate borders was one of the shared characteristics of the Tang nobility. Among the sought after trade items were textiles, glass, metalwork from Persia, music, musical instruments and musicians from Central Asia, wine and exotic fruits such as peaches and grapes from oasis kingdoms in Central Asia, and jade from Manasi and Hetian. In turn, the Chinese exported silk, ceramics, and other luxury goods. Exotic animals like lions and elephants were imported for the imperial zoos. The most prized animals however were the great horses of Central Asia. The new breed of horses, called “heavenly horses”, from Turkmenistan were celebrated for their long legs which made them able to respond more quickly than the original shorter legged Chinese horses. The horses became the main object for which the Chinese were willing to trade their fine silks and signify the beginning of China's participation in the famous "Silk Road" trade.

Horse with Lady Rider was once owned by Dr. Phillip P. Hi and SBMA docent Mei Chih T. Ho, who’s family once lived in China. They generously gifted this precious piece to the Santa Barbara Museum of Art in 2015.

Prepared for the Santa Barbara Museum of Art Docent Council by Sarajum Quazi, March 2018

Bibliography
1. Tansey, Richard and Kleiner, Fred. Gardner’s Art Through the Ages. Tenth Edition. Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 1996
2. Xiaoneng Yang, editor. The Golden Age of Chinese Archaeology. CELEBRATED DISCOVERIES FROM THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, National Gallery of Art, The Nelson-Atkins Museum. (Docent Library of SBMA: Oversize DS 715 G65 1999)
3. Elnicky, Gail. Prepared for the Docent Council of SBMA. The Standing Horse. July 2004.
Websites:
4. http://www.littletonandhennessy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/sancai-catalogue.pdf
5. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4209664/Tomb-Chinese-General-Princess-filled-figurines.html
6. https://www.ancient.eu/Silk_Road/

COMMENTS

Sitting aplombly upright and with a firm forward gaze, this horse-backed lady wearing a black brimmed hat and riding on a saddle strapped on top of a blanket-laden horse with red dotted flanks strikes a smart figure. Her expression belies her charm and inner confidence. She represents the only example of its type in the first western trench of the tomb and reflects China's friendly economic and cultural exchange with nearby countries via the Silk Road.

Excavated in 1971 from tomb of Grand Duke Zheng Rentai, an important general instrumental in the founding of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). The entire piece, except the face, is glazed. Her head is adorned with a wide-brimmed hat and wrapped in a black windbreak scarf.....this popular combination is known as a Weimao. Her face is beautifully painted with rosy cheeks, red lips, and thick eyebrows. Her eyelids are alertly raised as she gazes forward. She is wearing either a dress or shirt tucked into a skirt with brown and white stripes and a short, fitted over-garment with red, blue and green flora patterns embroidered on the wrist, arms, and sleeves. Her left hand graciously easing forward as if holding the reins and her feet are shod in black and leaning slightly back as if winding down from an outing or imperial hunting trip.

The dappled horse has a red mare, long neck and red dots in its rear. The red painted dots on animal skin is possibly inspired by Hinduism which uses red dots on animals to symbolize the significance of an animal's life and spirituality. A black bridle with gold trim crosses its mouth, forehead and over his body and the saddle is decorated with an intertwined flora motif fabric. The horse is reined in, the head arched and with a submissive pose.

It was love at first sight when we saw this striking beauty. I remembered.... Both my husband and I don't ride, but our daughter rides..we admire riders, love horses...in Chinese, horse represent prosperity and strength, and my husband was born in the year of the horse...it was meant to be.. As the third member in our bedroom over the past 12 years, she has brought much joy. However, as she is reaching her teen years with us, we feel that this " teenager" has earned her wings and should be shared with others.

Prepared by Meichih T. Ho 6/20/2015 for SBMA docent council.

1, Grand Duke Zheng' tomb is part of Zhaoling Mausoleum, the mausoleum of Emperor Taizong of Tang, located in Shaanxi, China, almost the biggest
mausoleum of the Tang Dynasty.
Bibliography : "Selected Pottery Treasure from Xian" MIHO museum, exhibited held from 3/16/2004- 6/10/2004
"China, Dawn of a Golden Age. 200-750AD" The Metropolitan Museum of Art , exhibited held from 10/12/2004 to 1/23/2005

SBMA CURATORIAL LABELS

This beautifully attired woman riding an exotic horse is a funerary clay model once buried with the deceased to provide comfort in the afterlife, a long-held custom in Chinese culture still practiced today. Seated regally atop a saddle, she represents a new ideal of feminine beauty that became popularized in the beginning of cosmopolitan Tang dynasty. During this time, trade with the Central Asian regions through the famed “Silk Road” brought new ideas and inspiration for fashion and art.

- Ridley-Tree Gallery, 2016