Pair of Chinese famille verte plates, Kangxi (1662-1722)

Pair of Chinese famille verte plates.

Kangxi (1662-1722).

Decorated in the centre with The Eight Horses of Mu Wang, within a diaper border.

The story of the eight horses of Mu originates comes from a historical romance about Mu, 5th Emperor of the Zhou dynasty (1023-983 BC), who wished to become immortal by visiting the heavenly paradise and tasting the peach of immortality. He was taken on this journey by the charioteer Zaofu and his eight horses.

While in some versions of the tale it is said that the horses were named after the colour of their hair, another Fourth century account suggested that the horses were named after their talents.

Horse number one gallops without touching the ground; number two runs faster than birds; number three goes especially fast at night; number four goes as fast as the shadow of the sun; number five is especially well-groomed with a splendid mane; number six runs so fast that one can see a row of ten images of him; number seven rides on a cloud; number eight has wings.

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This object is eligible for a Certificate of BADA Provenance

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