Table Screen with Eight Horses

This pale green nephrite table screen is carved in relief with a serene landscape populated by eight horses among rocks, bamboo, and pine trees. The motif of the Eight Horses derives from the legend of King Mu of Zhou, who rode his chariot drawn by eight extraordinary steeds to the western realms to meet the Queen Mother of the West. Revived with particular enthusiasm during the Qianlong period (1735–1796), the theme carried political resonance, expressing imperial aspirations for expansion, harmony, and enlightened rule. It also echoed the Qing court’s desire to attract and command the loyalty of Han Chinese scholars. A poem attributed to the Qianlong Emperor reinforces the work’s cultivated, courtly character, regardless of its disputed authorship.