Horses were important during the Tang Dynasty and were both the reward of successful military expeditions and the foundation of imperial stability. Brought to China by means of the international Silk Road trade network, horses were also a sign of wealth, with strict laws in place limiting the use of horses to people of a certain rank, and even those serving in the military had to provide their own mount.
The emergence of the ‘Court Fat Lady’ as a popular image of Chinese identity first made its appearance under the Zhou Dynasty, which briefly interrupted the Tang Dynasty. Women were romanticised and heroised. They were liberated in all sense of the word. Previously, the taste for women, especially concubines, had steered towards slim and slight women. The new Tang Dynasty fashion preferred the more buxom figure. Plump women of the high court were enjoying their heyday. They were represented in art and poetry and became popular in the royal household. It is said that the most famous of Court lady, Yang Guifei, the consort of Emperor Xuanzong (r. 712-756) set the fashion for ladies of ample form. Clothing and fashions accommodated Yang’s more mature figure and for the first time, long, loose fitting robes with high necklines became court fashion, accompanied by elaborate hairstyles.
To discover more about Chinese horse statuettes, please visit our relevant blog post: The Horse in Chinese Culture and Art
To discover more about Tang Dynasty ‘Fat Lady’ statuettes, please visit our relevant collection page: The Importance of the Fat Lady in Chinese Tang Art.