Heavenly horse 'reins' again

Ancient bronze artwork discovered in 1978 symbolizes vigor of culture, Zhao Xu and Ma Jingna report.

This is not merely a bronze horse from nearly 2,000 years ago — it transcends the title of a masterpiece of art. For the Chinese today, it is a symbol of strength, an emblem of fortitude, a token of the vigor and verve that defines both its era and our own.

It is a galloping horse frozen in a moment of pure exhilaration, all four hooves off the ground and head tilted to one side in joyous abandon. Every detail — from the flared nostrils to the gaping mouth and wide, bulging eyes — speaks to the boundless energy coursing through the animal's veins in that fleeting moment.

As if the sense of speed were not yet fully captured, a bird appears beneath the horse's raised right hind hoof. Startled, it turns back in alarm — just as the unstoppable force of the horse overtakes it.