Pottery painted dancing horse

[Pottery painted dance horse]

Pottery painted dance horse, Tang Dynasty, 44 cm high, 54 cm long
There was a generation in the Tang Dynasty that inherited the tradition of the Han Dynasty and focused on cultivating good horses for war. At the same time, singing and dancing are popular in China. The combination of the two will lead to the emergence of horse dance. The so-called horse dance is a dance performed by specially trained horses according to certain scales and movements. According to the Ming Emperor Miscellaneous Records: “Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty tried to teach the dance of four hundred hooves of horses. It was divided into two parts, each with its own purpose, for a pet and a family’s pride. At that time, there were also people who were good at paying tribute to horses outside the Great Wall, and all of them were taught to do their best. Because the life clothes were embroidered with literature, wrapped with gold and silver, decorated with its mane, and mixed with pearls and jade, the music was called ‘Tipping Cup Music’ for dozens of times. They beat their heads and tails to meet the festival, and put on three layers of plank beds, riding on horses, and spinning like flying. Or they ordered the heroes to lift a couch and dance on it Before and after the workers stand, they are all dressed in light yellow clothes and jade belts. They must be young and beautiful. Every Qianqiu Festival, life is dancing downstairs. ” This dance, with the horse beating its head and drum tail and kicking in response to the festival, vividly represents the special performance of the Tang Dynasty