Sunday, December 14, 2025

Tang riding horse harness terminology

 Salvete Omnes,



Tang Dynasty period in Chinese history is famous for the ceramics in shape of horse and horse & rider. 



I have a book - actually an exhibit catalog from  the Kentucky Horse Park (published 2000AD).
Title: The Imperial China, The Art of the Horse in Chinese (review). 
In the Chapter: The Horse in Chinese History by Bill Cooke (director emeritus of the International Museum of the Horse at the Kentucky Horse Park) there is a description of the Chinese terminology around the Tang Dynasty period. 


The author provided information on the horse harness terminology -

Jisheng on the crouper harness

Bridle- 'luotou' and the Bit - 'Youle' with cheek-bars - 'Biao'




Saddle - 'An'

Pommel and cantle saddle with tree bars

High pommel saddle with a saddle cover, saddle pad, saddle mud guard, and stirrups

Behind the saddle, to the saddle tree Tang saddlemakers added 4-6 straps hanging down the saddle pad

horse with a crenellated mane


Saddle-pad - 'cun' and  Saddle mud-screen -  'zhang-ni'



Saddle cover - 'Anfu'



Saddle cinch/girth - 'Fudai'

Breastplate/breast-strap - 'Panxiong'





Crouper/crupper - 'Qiu'



Apricot/peach leaf ornament - 'Xingye'



Cranellated /crenelated mane - 'three flower' 'Sanhua'




Bounded Tail -  'Fuwei'



Crupper saddle adornment -'Jisheng' (parasite), also a version known as 'Fire pearl ' - 'Hounzhu'



enjoy

Valete

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