The Six Horses of Zhaoling refers to the six bluestone relief stone carvings of horses on the east and west sides of the Zhaoling North Altar in the tomb of Emperor Taizong Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty in Liquan, Shaanxi Province. Each stone carving is about 2 meters wide and 1.7 meters high. The six horses are the war horses that Li Shimin rode before the founding of the Tang Dynasty. They are named "Quanmaojun", "Shivachi", "Baitiwu", "Telepiu", "Qingzhui" and "Salu". purple". In order to commemorate these six war horses, Li Shimin ordered the craftsman Yan Lide and the painter Yan Liben (Yan Lide's younger brother) to use reliefs to depict the six war horses and place them in front of the mausoleum.
The "Six Horses of Zhaoling" are beautiful in shape, with smooth carving lines and fine and round knife work. They are precious ancient stone carving art treasures. Among the six horses, "Sa Lu Zi" and "Fist Horse" were broken into boxes and smuggled to the United States in 1914, and are now in the Museum of the University of Pennsylvania. The remaining four pieces were also broken into boxes, intercepted during shipment, and are now on display at the Xi'an Forest of Steles Museum.
This group of stone carvings respectively show the heroic appearance of the war horses that Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty rode in the major battles that founded the country.
Fist-haired gun: yellow skin, black mouth, body covered with spiral hair. When Liu Heita was defeated, he was riding on it and was hit by nine arrows. Li Shimin praised: "The moon spirit presses the bridle, the heavenly horse flies in the sky, the arc arrow carries the sword, and the atmosphere is clear."
Shifachi: In the battle of Hulao Pass, he defeated Wang Shichong and Dou Jiande one by one, with five arrows in his hip. .
White-tied Crow: Ping Xue Renzhi was riding on it, and there was no arrow damage. Li Shimin praised: "The long sword relies on the sky, the horse's feet chase the wind, the bridle rises to level the Long, and the saddle settles Shu."
Tele Piao: Baili Qinyang, used by King Kong in the Song Dynasty, no arrows hurt.
Qingzhui: used by Ping Dou during the Jiande period. It has four hooves in the air and five arrows in its body, including one in the front and four in the back.
Sa Lu Zi: The horse he rode when he conquered Luodu, Wang Shichong, was hit by an arrow in the chest. Qiu Xinggong changed horses with Li Shimin and pulled out the arrow for Sa Lu Zi. Li Shimin praised it and said: "The purple swallow is super leaping, the bones are soaring and the horse is powerful, the energy is flying three rivers, and the eight formations are powerful." There is a person in the relief, imitating Qiu Xinggong and drawing an arrow.