The Legendary Horses That Carried an Emperor

Among China’s most celebrated cultural relics stand six extraordinary stone steeds – the famed “Zhaoling Liujun” (Six Steeds of Zhaoling). These aren’t mere sculptures but stone witnesses to the most dramatic chapters of early Tang history, each bearing the wounds of battle and the glory of empire-building.

Commissioned by Emperor Taizong (Li Shimin) in 636 AD for his mausoleum, these life-sized reliefs commemorate the warhorses that carried him through his most perilous campaigns. What makes them unique isn’t just their artistic mastery but the personal connection – Taizong himself composed poetic eulogies for each steed, their very names echoing battlefield triumphs.

Warhorses as Historical Documents

The six steeds form a chronological record of Li Shimin’s rise:

1. White-Hoofed Black (Baitiwu) – Victor at Qianshuiyuan against Western Qin (618 AD)
2. Teleqiao – Pursued Song Jingang 300 li in the Sparrow Valley campaign (619 AD)
3. Saluzi – Took an arrow to the chest during the siege of Luoyang (620 AD)
4. Qingzhui – Charged through five frontal arrows at the Tiger-Lock Pass (621 AD)
5. Quanmaogua – Sustained nine arrows suppressing Liu Heita’s rebellion (622 AD)
6. Shifachi – Endured five rear shots during the battle of Chanjian

Their wounds tell a startling truth – the conventional “heroic moments” of Li Shimin’s early career were merely preludes to ever-greater dangers. The later horses, bearing more wounds, testify to campaigns where defeat meant annihilation.

The Luoyang Crucible: China’s Ultimate Proving Ground

By 620 AD, the Tang faced its moment of existential crisis. The Eastern Capital Luoyang – fortified by self-proclaimed “Zheng Emperor” Wang Shichong – became the stage for a showdown that would determine whether China reunified under Tang rule or fractured into prolonged warfare.

Several factors made this campaign unique:

– Geopolitical Stakes: Wang controlled the Grand Canal’s western terminus while Dou Jiande dominated the North China Plain. Their potential alliance threatened to strangle Tang logistics.
– Military Innovation: Wang’s army incorporated Sui dynasty artillery units and specialized “armor-piercing” cavalry.
– Psychological Warfare: Wang implemented draconian hostage policies – families executed for desertion, five-household mutual responsibility systems.

The Art of Command: Li Shimin’s Leadership Alchemy

The Luoyang campaign showcases Li Shimin’s mastery beyond battlefield tactics. His handling of surrendered generals, particularly the legendary Yuchi Gong (later deified as a Door God), reveals sophisticated psychological strategy:

1. Crisis Conversion: When subordinates urged executing the suspicious Yuchi, Li instead released him privately, gifting gold while saying: “Between men of spirit, small doubts shouldn’t matter.”
2. Proximity Management: Appointing Yuchi as his personal bodyguard created constant interaction opportunities.
3. Public Validation: After Yuchi saved him at Xuanwu Mausoleum, Li lavished rewards before the entire army.
4. Irrevocable Bonding: Forcing Yuchi to publicly humiliate Prince Yuanji (Li’s brother) burned bridges to other power centers.

This “four-step驯化” (xunhua) process transformed potential rivals into diehard loyalists – a template Li reused with other surrendered elites like Wei Zheng.

Cultural Legacy Beyond Battle

The Six Steeds became cultural touchstones:

– Art: Inspired Zhao Lin’s 12th-century painting “Zhaoling Liujun Tu” (now in the Palace Museum)
– Folklore: Yuchi Gong and Qin Shubao (another Luoyang veteran) became China’s most popular Door Gods
– Military Theory: Later dynasties studied the campaign’s siege innovations and psychological operations

Modern Relevance

The stones themselves endured their own odyssey – two were smuggled to Philadelphia in 1918 (now in the Penn Museum), while the remaining four, damaged by looters in 1914, were moved to the Stele Forest Museum in Xi’an. Their story mirrors China’s own journey through fragmentation and renewal.

For leadership studies, Li Shimin’s Luoyang campaign remains a masterclass in turning military victory into lasting political capital. His warhorses, frozen in stone, remind us that true leadership isn’t about avoiding danger – but knowing which risks forge unbreakable bonds.