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both sides of the Silk-Road of China, a group of horses galloping
across the grassland or prairie is still one of the most impressive
landscapes. The Northwest land looks like a long corridor in
which uncountable historical stories took place, and more and
more historical relics had been discovered.
Of the most valuable and important discoveries is "A
Galloping Horse’s Hoof Stepped on a Flying Swallow"
as a bronze-made statue hidden in a brick tomb during the
late period of the East-Han Dynasty (A.D.25-220). Simultaneously
the "Bronze Heavenly Steed" and "A Horse Surpassing
over the Dragon-Swallow" were excavated out. Since being
exhibited, in October 1969, the unearthed relics have attracted
all the visitors’ attention both in China and all over the
world. "A Galloping Horse’s Hoof Stepped on a Flying
Swallow" as an artistic article was made approximately
in 168 or 172. The bronze statue described a galloping horse
so fast that a flying swallow could hardly escape from his
stepping hoofs. And at the same time we could know how much
stronger and how lovely all the horses in the local people’s
mind at that region. The right location or the unearthing
site of the relics is Wu-Wei, Gansu Province (The two Chinese
characters roughly mean the Military Awe-inspiring Style).
In ancient times it was known for its meadow with Heavenly
Steeds. Once there was a million-acre military-horse training
base not far away from the city. The special meadow has lasted
for three thousands of years. It is clear that all of the
people at the region are very familiar with horses and all
of them love horses very much. Training horses is their inseparable
part of daily life. The artistic bronze statue shows the people’s
deep affection to horses.
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