What is "horseshoe gold"? Where did “horseshoe gold” come from? The editor-in-chief will provide you with detailed relevant content.
The horseshoe gold mentioned here is not that kind of plant, but an ancient weighing currency, many of which were unearthed from the tomb of Emperor Haidi. The Tomb of Marquis Mian is a tomb in which many gold artifacts were unearthed. Among them, there are only a dozen tons of copper coins, which is more than all the copper coins unearthed from other Han tombs combined. There are more than a dozen horseshoes. What kind of gold is this horseshoe gold? Why did many people like it in ancient times? What does it mean to have gold horseshoe?
In today's society, in addition to being made into various exquisite decorations, the most common form of gold is rectangular, which is what we usually call "gold bars". But in ancient times, gold came in many forms, including gold cakes and gold plates in the Pre-Qin Dynasty, horseshoe gold and forest pure gold in the Han Dynasty, gold caves in the Tang Dynasty, and gold ingots in the Song Dynasty.
Among them, "horseshoe gold" was the most favored by the ancients. Ancient dignitaries not only loved "horseshoe gold" and regarded it as a treasure during their lifetime, but they were also more willing to sleep with it after death. According to Meng Qianbitan's records, as early as the Song Dynasty, someone excavated "horseshoe gold" from funeral supplies.
In the 1970s, 6 complete pieces of "horseshoe gold" were unearthed from the North Stone Bridge of Yuanzhai, Xi'an. In December 2015, during the excavation of the Haihunhou Tomb in Nanchang, Jiangxi, a large amount of "horseshoe gold" was also unearthed, which shocked China and foreign countries. So why did the ancients like horseshoe gold so much? The author briefly summarized and explained the reasons for the popularity of horseshoe gold from the aspects of its origin, meaning, craftsmanship, etc., so that everyone can better understand it.
1. The origin of "horseshoe gold"
"Horsehoe gold" began in the period of Emperor Wu of the Western Han Dynasty. According to the records in the "Han Shu Five Emperors", this seems to be March of the following year. Zhao Yue said: "There is a saying that goes well, the dead see gods in the suburbs, I go to the dragon head in the west. Bai Lin was awarded the title of Fu Ancestral Hall. Horses come out of the water, Mount Tai sees gold. Therefore, it is appropriate to change the old name. Today, there is more gold. It is our toes and hooves that can help us become lucky." So Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty recast the gold shape into a horseshoe shape.
Why is this? It turns out that Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty once hunted a white forest and gave him a good horse. On the way up the mountain, he saw gold and Pegasus on the top of the mountain in his dream. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty considered it a rare symbol of auspiciousness. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty ordered that the shape of gold be changed to a horseshoe shape. This is the origin of "horseshoe gold".
After the "horseshoe gold" was cast, it became an item awarded to the princes by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. Therefore, once "horseshoe gold" was born, its value would rise and become the target of thousands of people at that time. This was an unparalleled honor for the powerful at that time, and the princes and princesses regarded horseshoe gold as a treasure.
It can be said that during the Western Han Dynasty, being able to possess the "horseshoe gold" bestowed by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was a symbol of rights, identity and status, and was the glory of an individual or even the entire family. It is not difficult to understand why horseshoe gold is so popular.
2. The meaning of "horseshoe gold"
As mentioned before, "horseshoe gold" was created by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty who accidentally captured a piece of white forest and provided inspiration for a war horse. As we all know, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty had outstanding achievements, talents and broad vision. However, in his later years, he could not shake off the fear of death. He spent the whole day searching for immortality and immortal art.
For Bai Ling and his war horse, who were born in 2000, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty regarded them as unprecedented symbols of auspiciousness, believing that the "horseshoe gold" could bring them good luck and make them live longer. Since ancient times, in ancient Chinese legends, Bai Lin has been endowed with excellent qualities and is called "benevolence and kindness", a symbol of kindness and peace.
There is a saying: "Benevolence and righteousness, music, footwork, setbacks, soil selection, equality, not for society, not for travel, not for culture and quality, just for asking." This is a true Auspicious animals. Gold has been a symbol of honor since ancient times. According to "Shuo Yuan", "Gold enters fire and does not need to be refined. It is buried and will last forever." Taking these two things to regulate the body can prevent old age and death. '
What does this mean? In other words, in the eyes of the ancients, gold was as edible as pearls and was an important medicinal formula for "immortality". Eating gold regularly can prolong your life. Wei Boyang, a famous alchemist in the Eastern Han Dynasty, wrote in the year "Baopuzi": "Gold is the treasure of all things and cannot be destroyed." This proves that gold itself was very popular in ancient times. Even for a long time, gold has been used as the secret recipe for longevity and health care.
So horseshoe gold is made of its own precious gold, and with the special and unique auspicious meaning of Kirin, "horseshoe gold" was regarded as a rare treasure by the ancients. People believe that it can not only bring good luck and prolong life, but also keep "horseshoe gold" at home to ward off evil spirits and show the stability of the family. After the death of dignitaries, "horseshoe gold" was taken to the tomb as the first choice for funerary objects. It is not difficult to understand why the ancients were so keen on horseshoe gold.
Third, "horseshoe gold" technology
"Horseshoe gold" not only has a unique auspicious meaning, but also has excellent casting technology and is rare. A gold horseshoe weighs about 250 grams, which is equivalent to one kilogram in the Western Han Dynasty. The shape of "horseshoe gold" is oval, with a concave bottom and an empty center. It's shaped like a horseshoe. It is made of gold, and not only that, but there is a very fine pattern on the upper edge of the horseshoe.
Don’t underestimate this tiny pattern.
Drawing gold into extremely thin gold threads is a very precious "fine wire technology". According to the bending and rotation of the ink pattern, it is pinched into patterns and made into various patterns. Finally, they are welded to the tool. This undoubtedly increases the artistic value of "horseshoe gold".
Not only that, there are precious glass pieces from the Western Han Dynasty embedded in the middle of the "horseshoe gold", which undoubtedly increases the value of the "horseshoe gold". Due to this exquisite and complex craftsmanship and very precious and rare materials, "horseshoe gold" is undoubtedly more precious and rare. No wonder it has always been loved and loved by the ancients.
In short, judging from the origin, meaning and craftsmanship of "horseshoe gold", horseshoe gold is an ancient treasure. It is not only deeply loved by the ancients, but also a historical treasure of the Chinese nation and a unique heritage of Chinese culture.