Abstract

The purpose of this essay is to examine the role of horses in terms of China’s cultural history. In this essay, I address various ways in which the horse or the idea of horses became an important symbol that was constructed to reflect both the idealized and the unfavored aspects of people. The main focus of this Independent Study thesis is the ways in which people interacted with and thought of horses in sport, art, and mythology. This study goes up to the fall of the Yuan (A.D. 1368) dynasty. The significance of this research is that it helps with understanding why horses were important to people other than as tools for military and transportation. It begins to explore, within the context of the geographic region that is modern-day China, a deep connection and intertwined history that can be seen in the history of many peoples. This helps to understand why the history of horses’ involvement in human history in China follows a different trajectory than that of any other animal.

Advisor

Ng, Margaret

Department

History

Disciplines

Asian History

Publication Date

2018

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

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© Copyright 2018 Kristen N. Scott