In the Lunar Year of the Horse, many museums have launched exhibitions related to horse related cultural relics, attracting a large number of visitors. The mascot of "ugly and cute", "Warring States version of Labubu", "powerful and cool handsome male god"... Many horse cultural relics have become popular online, attracting countless fans. What are the charms of these horse artifacts? The reporter investigates the matter. Copper galloping horse: "One hoof treads a thousand jun" Recently, its "appearance rate" has been very high. It first became the mascot of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism's "Happy Spring Festival" event in 2026, known as the "Lucky Horse", and then became one of the mascots of the 2026 CCTV Spring Festival Gala under the name of "Jiji". It is the famous bronze galloping horse that moves the world, and it is the treasure of the Gansu Provincial Museum. It once slept in the loess under the Lei Tai in Wuwei City, Gansu Province. In 1969, a local villager accidentally discovered that the "underground army" that had been dormant for thousands of years had come to light again. The bronze galloping horse belongs to a huge bronze honor guard - including chariots, knights, and various types of chariots and horses, totaling 99 pieces. Among the many solemn and neatly arranged terracotta statues, only it stands out with a posture that completely deviates from the "formation". It's not like marching, but flying and chasing. It held its head high towards the sky, its mouth and nose wide open, as if it was emitting a piercing hiss. The neck is curved like a bow, with every inch of the line taut with strength. The trunk is round and full, the chest muscles are bulging, and the back buttocks are firm, which is a bodybuilding physique that only a thousand mile horse has. The most exquisite feature is its posture - three hooves leap in the air, with only the right hind hoof lightly tapping on the back of a flying bird. Many people refer to it as the "flying swallow on horseback", but the species of the bird being trampled is still uncertain, so it is more accurate to call it the "bronze galloping horse". Where did the bronze galloping horse come from? Why can it be so perfectly preserved until now? The answer lies in the wind and sand of history and the ingenuity of craftsmen. In the Han Dynasty, the Central Plains dynasties were thirsty for good horses. The Hexi Corridor, this Silk Road channel, has become a "golden zone" for the introduction and reproduction of good horses. Wuwei, as the eastern hub of the corridor, was once a gathering place for talented horses. The slender limbs, high head and neck, and light body of the bronze galloping horse are the artistic portrayal of the fusion of Western Tianma and Central Plains horse breeds. It is not a mythical imagination, but a real and romantic pursuit of speed and power in that powerful era. Why can the bronze galloping horse cross thousands of years with such a perfect posture? The X-ray scan revealed the secret behind its resilience. When the craftsmen cast it, a sturdy iron core was embedded in the only load-bearing horseshoe support leg, forming a composite structure of "iron and copper legs", ensuring its mechanical balance of "stepping on a thousand tons with one hoof". Today, we see that it is entirely green in color, which is the ancient beauty of bronze corrosion. However, upon closer observation, it can be observed that some residual pigments such as vermilion, black, and white can still be identified in the folds and ears of the horse's body. The dry climate in the Hexi Corridor greatly slows down the shedding speed of these fragile paintings. Archaeologists have determined that when it was unearthed, it was covered in colorful paintings and may have been a spirited red stallion. After a thousand years of Mercedes Benz, the galloping horse 'sprouts' into every household. The cultural and creative team of Gansu Provincial Museum used it as a prototype to design and launch plush toys called "Green Horse Jumping" and "Green Horse Running". They are covered in bright green fur, with big fangs exposed, and have an "ugly and cute" expression, becoming the "top stream" in the cultural and creative industry, making netizens exclaim that they are "very" high-end ". Warring States Yellow Jade Horse: The infectious "Rakuten Faction". In the display cabinet of the Confucius Museum in Qufu City, Shandong Province, a cultural relic became famous for its iconic "grinning smile", which is the Warring States round carved yellow jade horse. Huang Yuma is one of the exquisite jade artifacts unearthed from the archaeological excavation of the ancient city of Lu in Qufu in 1978. According to research, it originated from the late Warring States period and has been sleeping under the loess for over 2200 years. It is only 5.7 centimeters tall, about 5.8 centimeters long, and weighs about 50 grams, making it easy to hold in the palm of your hand. The main body of the jade material is yellow with a greenish tint, warm and transparent, while the natural brown spots on the horse's body are a unique "patina" and memory bestowed upon it by the long years. Its charm stems from a highly infectious' contrasting cuteness'. During the Warring States period, craftsmen used extremely concise circular carving techniques to create a majestic horse with an upright head and a dignified posture. The finishing touch lies in its face - the craftsman uses a delicate intaglio line to outline the horse's mouth, causing it to naturally rise and form a cute smile. This wonderful combination of dignified posture and joyful expression sets it apart from numerous majestic ancient artifacts. Many young viewers fell in love with it at first sight and affectionately referred to it as the "Warring States version of Labubu". Huang Yuma's journey out of the circle began with her trip to Tsinghua University in 2023. At the "Gift Movement in the East" special exhibition at the Tsinghua University Art Museum, this "Smiling Messenger" became the focus of the entire audience. On social media, 'healed by the smile of a Warring States horse' has become a hot topic. The cultural and creative team of the Confucius Museum keenly captured this emotional resonance and quickly launched a series of "smiling cultural and creative" items: the plush pendant with a grin has become a heartwarming companion, the refrigerator sticker with a replicated smiling face has "settled" cultural relics in modern life, and even a summer ice cream carries this ancient sweetness. In the lunar year of the Horse, this "optimistic" cultural relic ushered in its "zodiac year" highlight moment. In the meticulously planned "Da Da Teng Xiang - Cultural Relics Exhibition of Confucius Family Celebrating the New Year" at the Confucius Museum, Huang Yuma, as the leading character, is endowed with a deeper cultural interpretation of his smile - conveying to the audience the wisdom and positive attitude towards life of "Joyful Heaven and Knowing Destiny" in Confucian culture. The social education activities surrounding it are also ingenious: "Searching for horse relics and exploring the roots of Confucianism", guiding children to understand the cultural relics related to horses and comprehend the profound connotations of "benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness" through them. From precious ritual vessels in Warring States tombs, to art treasures behind museum glass, to cultural ambassadors active in special exhibitions and social media, this yellow jade horse always carries that unchanging smile. Its smile is a condensation of the craftsmanship and life emotions of the craftsmen of the Warring States period, and it is also a brand new life given to it by modern people through creative transformation. When the craftsmen of 2200 years ago and the audience today resonate across time and space through this smile, what we see is that the optimistic spirit and life force that has lasted endlessly in Chinese civilization are being passed down from generation to generation in a warm and interesting way, "said the person in charge of the Confucius Museum. The gilded bronze horse of the Western Han Dynasty: a cultural envoy who frequently "travels" is located in the Maoling Museum in Xingping City, Shaanxi Province. A nimble "war horse" is surrounded by a large crowd of spectators. It is called the 'Golden Bronze Horse of the Western Han Dynasty', refined based on the sweat blood horse produced in Dawan during the Western Han Dynasty, "said Tian Hui, director of the Maoling Museum. In 1981, this" sweat blood BMW "was unearthed from the No. 1 accompanying tomb in Douma Village, Xiwu Town, Xingping City, and is a national first-class cultural relic. Tian Hui told reporters that the gilded bronze horse has not undergone any professional repairs since its excavation, but the surface of the horse's body still shines with golden light and the whole body is well preserved. Step forward and take a closer look, this' sweat blooded BMW 'is gilded all over, with its four legs standing upright and its head held high. The head shape is particularly vivid - the pink nose is eye-catching, the mouth is slightly open, and 6 teeth are exposed; Two ears stand upright, with bristles between the ears and on the neck; It has a hollow body and extraordinary aura, with a power of a thousand miles. From the perspective of plastic arts, it appears calm and natural, yet also contains a 'masculine beauty', with an inherent charm of 'harmony between movement and stillness'. ”Tian Hui said. As a rare treasure, this' sweat blooded BMW 'has been busy on business trips for many years. In May 2024, the gilded bronze horse "traveled across provinces" for four months and participated in the special exhibition "Mighty Talent and Great Strategy of Emperor Wu of Han" in Zhongshan City, Guangdong Province. As a key exhibit, it vividly reflects the historical landscape of Emperor Wu of Han's era of "seeking good horses, connecting the Western Regions, and strengthening military equipment". The textbook introduced the sweat blooded BMW, and today I finally see its appearance more than 2000 years ago! "In the exhibition hall, a group of students carefully observed the gilded bronze horse. Not only does it travel across provinces, but it also crosses oceans. A few years ago, the gilded bronze horse was invited to Tokyo, Japan to participate in the "Heritage of Qin and Han Civilization" exhibition. At the exhibition site, it stood quietly in the display cabinet, becoming a "star exhibit", and many viewers were impressed by its exquisite craftsmanship and vigorous posture. Over the years, the gilded bronze horse has visited more than 30 countries and regions. ”In Tian Hui's view, every time it goes on a business trip, it transforms into a cultural ambassador, crossing time and space, and communicating with people's hearts. In recent years, Maoling Museum has developed a series of exciting cultural and creative products around gilded bronze horses, such as sweating blood BMW ornaments, blind boxes for the Year of the Horse decorations, and silk horse badges, which are deeply loved by young people. In our museum, there are also horse stepping on Xiongnu stone carvings, leaping horse stone carvings, and starting horse stone carvings in the Huo Qubing tomb stone carving group, as well as a batch of cultural relics related to horses such as Western Han pottery horse heads and Western Han painted pottery horses. ”Tian Hui smiled and said, "In the New Year of the Horse, the gilded bronze horse and its' horse colleagues' convey the spirit of dragon and horse, symbolizing the success of the horse." Three Kingdoms bronze horse: "Powerful and cool handsome male god" In the Xiangyang Museum in Hubei Province, a Three Kingdoms bronze horse is known as the "first bronze standing horse in China". The horse's head is slightly raised, as if it is dressed up and ready for battle; Opening the mouth makes a hissing sound, and the muscles of the neck and limbs are straight and smooth, containing a majestic power in tranquility. The overall shape of the bronze horse is realistic and condensed, without any unnecessary carvings, but it carries a steady and majestic sense of crossing time and space. Its existence began with an accidental archaeological excavation in 2008. Back then, at an archaeological site in Xiangyang, archaeologists used their shovels to gently remove layers of floating soil. A tall bronze vessel revealed its true appearance, resembling a real horse in shape, instantly shaking the entire venue. At that time, we all held our breath, its size was astonishing. ”Liu Jiangsheng, a research curator at Xiangyang Museum who witnessed the excavation firsthand, still remembers the scene vividly to this day. It is 163 centimeters tall and long, weighing 720 pounds, far exceeding similar bronze horse artifacts discovered in China. It provides a unique physical scale for studying the regulations of high-level tombs, military etiquette, and bronze casting techniques during the Three Kingdoms period. According to experts' speculation, the owner of the tomb may have had a deep connection with generals of the Three Kingdoms such as Zhang Ji, and this warhorse may have experienced the era of golden and iron horses firsthand. Many netizens have been moved by its confident and agile temperament, comparing it to the calm and outstanding "male protagonist" in historical dramas, and calling it the "powerful and cool male god" in the cultural relics industry. Its charm coincides with many trendy art images, attracting countless young fans. The shock I witnessed with my own eyes was far beyond imagination, the smooth muscle lines were full of strength, and I felt like a thousand years of history suddenly came to life. ”Tourist Ju Yuanyuan, who returned home to watch the exhibition during the Spring Festival holiday, sighed. The popularity of this cultural relic has brought the public closer to the rich history. Around this bronze horse from the Three Kingdoms period, the Xiangyang Museum has carefully crafted a series of cultural and creative items such as badges, stationery, refrigerator stickers, and simulated ornaments. In the Lunar Year of the Horse, cultural and creative products based on it symbolize "success on horseback" and have become popular New Year gifts. On major social media platforms, its image frequently appears, transforming into a "cultural internet celebrity". In the Spring Festival of the Year of the Horse, Xiangyang Museum has launched a special exhibition called "Riding a Horse and Whipping to the New Year", with this "largest and most complete independent bronze horse discovered during the Three Kingdoms period" as the core, connecting the millennium origins of Chinese horse culture. I hope the audience can not only appreciate the beauty of cultural relics, but also learn from them