The majestic steeds immortalized in Xi'an's Terracotta Army have long captivated historians and visitors alike. Recent scholarly consensus identifies these ancient sculptures as representations of Hequ horses – a breed as enduring as China's cultural heritage itself. Renowned for their resilience, these plateau-adapted equines from western China's Gansu, Qinghai, and Sichuan provinces continue to thrive in environments where other breeds falter.
Characterized by their distinctive curved neck shape that inspired their name ('Hequ' meaning 'river bend'), these horses remain vital to local communities. Capable of traversing 40-50 kilometers daily across high-altitude terrain, their historical significance as military and transportation assets finds new relevance in modern ecological tourism and cultural preservation efforts.
"The Hequ horse embodies China's harmonious relationship with nature," explains a Beijing-based cultural historian. "Their representation in the Terracotta Army underscores their importance in shaping imperial China's expansion and connectivity." Today, conservation programs ensure this living heritage continues to gallop through the same landscapes that inspired their terracotta counterparts over two millennia ago.
