Ferghana horse
Encyclopedia
Ferghana horses were one of China
's earliest major imports, originating in an area in Central Asia
. These horses, as depicted in Tang Dynasty
pottery representations of them, "resemble the animals on the golden medal of Eucratides
, King of Bactria
(Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris)."
, north of Bactria, was a nation centered in the Ferghana Valley of present-day Central Asia, and even as early as the Han Dynasty
, China projected its military power to that area. The Han
imperial regime required Ferghana horses and imported such great numbers of them that the rulers of Ferghana closed their borders to such trade. That move resulted in a war that China won. In 102 CE, the Chinese required of the defeated Ferghana that they provide at least ten of their finest horses for breeding purposes, and three thousand Ferghana horses of ordinary quality. However, there are other views: the Records of the Grand Historian
and Book of Han
provide no description of Ferghana horses, and as it seemed from these chronicles they were not employed in any known Han expeditions and campaigns.
Chinese statuary and paintings, as well as the Bactrian coin shown above, indicate that these horses had legs that were proportionally short, powerful crests, and round barrels. The forelegs of the Chinese depictions are very straight, resembling the Guoxia
horse of present-day China. According to tradition, these horses sweat blood, giving rise to the name: "sweats blood horse" (in ). Modern authorities believe that blood-sucking parasites caused sweat to get mixed with blood when the horses were worked.
Over 2,000 years ago two Chinese armies traveled 10,000 km to Ferghana to find ‘Heavenly Horses’, the finest mounts then known, apparently infected with a tiny worm causing them to ‘sweat blood’ from skin sores:
P. multipapillosa is thought to have been the cause of the "blood-sweating" of these famous and much desired horses from Ferghana, which Emperor Wu of Han China
(Wudi) renamed "Heavenly Horses" (c. 113 BCE). He sent an army of 40,000 men in 104 BCE the 5,000 km to Ferghana, but they were defeated. Another army of 60,000 men was sent in 103 BCE and they managed to negotiate the acquisition of 3,000 horses (though only a few dozen were top class and only 1,000 made it all the way back to China in 101 BCE). However, they did also get an agreement that Ferghana would send two Heavenly horses each year to the Emperor, and lucerne
seed was brought back to China providing superior pasture for breeding raising fine horses in China, to provide cavalry which could cope with the Xiongnu
who threatened China.
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
's earliest major imports, originating in an area in Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
. These horses, as depicted in Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
pottery representations of them, "resemble the animals on the golden medal of Eucratides
Eucratides I
Eucratides I Megas was one of the most important Greco-Bactrian kings, descendants of dignitaries of Alexander the Great. He uprooted the Euthydemid dynasty of Greco-Bactrian kings and replaced it with his own lineage...
, King of Bactria
Bactria
Bactria and also appears in the Zend Avesta as Bukhdi. It is the ancient name of a historical region located between south of the Amu Darya and west of the Indus River...
(Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris)."
Ancient history
DayuanDayuan
The Dayuan or Ta-Yuan were a people of Ferghana in Central Asia, described in the Chinese historical works of Records of the Grand Historian and the Book of Han. It is mentioned in the accounts of the famous Chinese explorer Zhang Qian in 130 BCE and the numerous embassies that followed him into...
, north of Bactria, was a nation centered in the Ferghana Valley of present-day Central Asia, and even as early as the Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
, China projected its military power to that area. The Han
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
imperial regime required Ferghana horses and imported such great numbers of them that the rulers of Ferghana closed their borders to such trade. That move resulted in a war that China won. In 102 CE, the Chinese required of the defeated Ferghana that they provide at least ten of their finest horses for breeding purposes, and three thousand Ferghana horses of ordinary quality. However, there are other views: the Records of the Grand Historian
Records of the Grand Historian
The Records of the Grand Historian, also known in English by the Chinese name Shiji , written from 109 BC to 91 BC, was the Magnum opus of Sima Qian, in which he recounted Chinese history from the time of the Yellow Emperor until his own time...
and Book of Han
Book of Han
The Book of Han, Hanshu or History of the Former Han Dynasty |Fan Ye]] . Various scholars have estimated that the earliest material covered in the book dates back to between 206 and 202 BCE...
provide no description of Ferghana horses, and as it seemed from these chronicles they were not employed in any known Han expeditions and campaigns.
Chinese statuary and paintings, as well as the Bactrian coin shown above, indicate that these horses had legs that were proportionally short, powerful crests, and round barrels. The forelegs of the Chinese depictions are very straight, resembling the Guoxia
Chinese Guoxia
There are many different breeds of horse in China, most of which are ancient and descended from the Mongolian horse. Although many of the breeds are small in stature, they are considered to be small horses, not ponies, and will often, when provided with good care and adequate nutrition, mature well...
horse of present-day China. According to tradition, these horses sweat blood, giving rise to the name: "sweats blood horse" (in ). Modern authorities believe that blood-sucking parasites caused sweat to get mixed with blood when the horses were worked.
'“Modern researchers, MairVictor H. MairVictor Henry Mair is a Philologist specializing in Sinitic and Indo-European languages, and holds the position of Professor of Chinese Language and Literature in the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States...
notes, have come up with two different ideas [for the ancient Chinese references to the “Blood-sweating” horses of Ferghana]. The first suggests that small subcutaneous blood vessels burst as the horses sustained a long hard gallop. The second theorizes that a parasitic nematode, Parafilaria multipapillosaParafilaria multipapillosaParafilaria multipapillosa is a parasitic nematode of the genus Parafilaria, which affects horses causing hemorrhagic subcutaneous nodules in the head and upper forelimbs, in North Africa, Southern and Eastern Europe, Asia and South America, leading to bleeding from the skin. It is commonly...
, triggered the phenomenon. P. multipapillosa is widely distributed across the Russian steppes and makes its living by burrowing into the subcutaneous tissues of horses. The resulting skin nodules bleed often, sometimes copiously, giving rise to a something veterinarians call “summer bleeding.”
Over 2,000 years ago two Chinese armies traveled 10,000 km to Ferghana to find ‘Heavenly Horses’, the finest mounts then known, apparently infected with a tiny worm causing them to ‘sweat blood’ from skin sores:
"Sometime earlier the emperorEmperor Wu of HanEmperor Wu of Han , , personal name Liu Che , was the seventh emperor of the Han Dynasty of China, ruling from 141 BC to 87 BC. Emperor Wu is best remembered for the vast territorial expansion that occurred under his reign, as well as the strong and centralized Confucian state he organized...
had divined by the Book of ChangesI ChingThe I Ching or "Yì Jīng" , also known as the Classic of Changes, Book of Changes and Zhouyi, is one of the oldest of the Chinese classic texts...
and been told that "divine horses are due to appear" from the northwest". When the WusunWusunThe Wūsūn were a nomadic steppe people who, according to the Chinese histories, originally lived in western Gansu in northwest China west of the Yuezhi people...
came with their horses, which were of an excellent breed, he named them "heavenly horses". Later, however, he obtained the blood-sweating horses from Dayuan [= Ferghana], which were even hardier. He therefore changed the name of the Wusun horses, calling them "horses from the western extremity", and used the name "heavenly horses" for the horses of Dayuan."
P. multipapillosa is thought to have been the cause of the "blood-sweating" of these famous and much desired horses from Ferghana, which Emperor Wu of Han China
Emperor Wu of Han
Emperor Wu of Han , , personal name Liu Che , was the seventh emperor of the Han Dynasty of China, ruling from 141 BC to 87 BC. Emperor Wu is best remembered for the vast territorial expansion that occurred under his reign, as well as the strong and centralized Confucian state he organized...
(Wudi) renamed "Heavenly Horses" (c. 113 BCE). He sent an army of 40,000 men in 104 BCE the 5,000 km to Ferghana, but they were defeated. Another army of 60,000 men was sent in 103 BCE and they managed to negotiate the acquisition of 3,000 horses (though only a few dozen were top class and only 1,000 made it all the way back to China in 101 BCE). However, they did also get an agreement that Ferghana would send two Heavenly horses each year to the Emperor, and lucerne
Alfalfa
Alfalfa is a flowering plant in the pea family Fabaceae cultivated as an important forage crop in the US, Canada, Argentina, France, Australia, the Middle East, South Africa, and many other countries. It is known as lucerne in the UK, France, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, and known as...
seed was brought back to China providing superior pasture for breeding raising fine horses in China, to provide cavalry which could cope with the Xiongnu
Xiongnu
The Xiongnu were ancient nomadic-based people that formed a state or confederation north of the agriculture-based empire of the Han Dynasty. Most of the information on the Xiongnu comes from Chinese sources...
who threatened China.
External links
- http://chinesehoroscop-e.com/astrology/ferghana-horses.php
- http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=20110922000098&cid=1103