About
The Six Steeds of Zhaoling are six stone reliefs of horses that stood inside the north gate of Zhaoling, the tomb of the Tang emperor Taizong (Li Shimin). They portray the six war horses he rode while founding the dynasty: Teqinbiao, Qingzhui, Shifachi, Saluzi, Quanmaogua and Baitiwu. Zhaoling lies on Mount Jiuzong in Liquan County, Shaanxi, the mountain itself serving as the burial mound. The steeds stood three on each side, in the corridors flanking the altar north of the tomb, near statues of fourteen foreign rulers. Tradition says Yan Liben drew them and his brother Yan Lide oversaw the carving, but this is a later attribution without firm evidence.
Walking or galloping, some pierced by arrows, the horses are rendered in spare, vigorous lines and count among the masterpieces of Tang relief sculpture. In the early 20th century Saluzi and Quanmaogua were taken out of China; they are now in the Penn Museum in Philadelphia. The other four were stopped on the way and are now in the Forest of Steles Museum in Xi’an.
The six steeds
Teqinbiao: a yellowish-white horse walking at an easy pace. It stood at the south end of the east row.
Qingzhui: a pale grey horse charging at full gallop, struck by five arrows. It stood in the middle of the east row.
Shifachi: a chestnut horse at the gallop, struck by five arrows. It stood at the north end of the east row.
Saluzi: a purplish-red horse, the only relief with a human figure: General Qiu Xinggong draws an arrow from its chest. It stood at the south end of the west row.
Quanmaogua: a yellow horse with a black muzzle, walking, struck by nine arrows. It stood in the middle of the west row.
Baitiwu: a black horse with four white hooves, galloping with all four feet off the ground. It stood at the north end of the west row.
Visiting
Forest of Steles Museum: just east of the south gate of the city wall in Xi’an; its stone sculpture hall shows the original reliefs of Teqinbiao, Qingzhui, Shifachi and Baitiwu.
Penn Museum: in Philadelphia, USA; its China gallery shows the original reliefs of Saluzi and Quanmaogua.
Zhaoling: on Mount Jiuzong in Liquan County, Shaanxi, with the Zhaoling Museum in the tomb area.
Stamps
“The Six Steeds of Zhaoling” (2001-22, 2001), a set of six: Shifachi, Qingzhui, Teqinbiao, Saluzi, Quanmaogua and Baitiwu. The full set is on the stamp page.
Shifachi 
Qingzhui 
Teqinbiao 
Saluzi 
Quanmaogua 
Baitiwu