| The "Heavenly Horse - The Horse in Chinese Art and Culture" exhibition will be held from July 16 to October 13, 2008 at the Hong Kong Museum of History, featuring 60 sets of artifacts selected from various heritage institutes in China.
Picture shows one of the exhibits, "Mural of a polo game" from Tang dynasty (AD 618-907).
This mural depicts two players addressing the ball during a game of polo, a popular sport during the Tang dynasty. Both the men in the picture are mounted on fierce steeds. The man on the left is wearing a black cloth cap with black straps flapping in the wind, and he also sports a red robe and a pair of black riding boots. With his hand on the reins, he has turned to look down at the ball on the ground. The other man is wearing a robe that exposes one of his muscular arms. His right arm is raised and he is pointing his whip at the ball. Both horses are standing on their hind legs with their forelimbs in the air, in line with their riders' movements. Brilliantly coloured and featuring a realistic portrayal of the action, the mural is an excellent study of man and beast in motion. |
