Cao Dinh - one of the nine bronze cauldrons at the Hue Imperial Palace. Photo: Bao Minh

Horses come in many breeds; some breeds are accustomed to living in mountainous regions, some in plains, and others in highlands. Therefore, horse experts say that horses bred in the Northwest are superior, while those bred in the Southeast are inferior.

There are books specifically written about the art of judging horses, called the "Horse Physiognomy Classic." A majestic horse must have the following characteristics: it must have eyes (on the front elbows), no gallbladder, and one hoof on each foot. According to Le Quy Don's "Van Dai Loai Ngu," a good horse should have a large, square head; bright eyes; a strong spine; a slender belly; long legs; high eye sockets; a large nose; a nose tip with the character "wang" (王); a red mouth; round, long shins; ears close together and pointing forward; and small, thick shoulders. Good horses are commonly called "tuan ma" (靈馬). There is a superior breed of horse, the "long ma" (a creature combining horse and dragon, moving as fast as the wind); today, the image of the long ma is still seen in Hue, often depicted in relief on screens erected in front of communal houses, temples, and the residences of emperors and empresses to ward off evil and pray for good fortune, such as the long ma screen in front of Hue National High School.

According to the Book of Rites, in the past, the emperor's carriage traveled according to the seasons, drawn by a horse of a specific color: a green horse in the spring (January), a red horse in the summer (April), a white horse in the autumn (July), and a black horse in the winter (October), in accordance with the five elements to bring good fortune.

According to legend, during the reign of the sixth Hung King, an iron horse transformed into an immortal warrior. When the Yin invaders attacked Vietnam, answering the call of the homeland, a young boy from Giong village (now Phu Dong commune, Hanoi ) asked the king to let him go to battle. He only asked for an iron horse and a whip. When the horse and whip were completed, the boy stretched, suddenly growing to a height of one丈 (approximately 3 meters), then jumped onto the horse, wielding the whip, and went to fight the invaders. After defeating the Yin invaders, Giong rode his horse to Soc Son mountain, left all his achievements behind, and flew straight to heaven. The king, grateful for his service, ordered the construction of a temple in Giong village, and later bestowed upon him the title of Phu Dong Thien Vuong (he became one of the Four Immortal Saints of Vietnam). Every year, on the 8th day of the fourth lunar month, Giong village holds a grand and solemn festival in honor of him, with a historical procession and a reenactment of the battle against the Yin invaders fought by Saint Giong and his "divine horse"...

In the 17th year of Minh Mạng's reign, 1836, after the Nine Dynastic Urns were cast, the king ordered the image of a horse to be carved onto the body of the Anh Dinh urn. After nearly 200 years exposed to rain and wind, the Nine Dynastic Urns of Hue still stand, their reliefs around the nine urns still gleaming with exquisite details in bronze, as if miraculously defying time and the changing weather and climate. The Nine Dynastic Urns are regarded by posterity as "A unique visual representation of the Great Nam Unified Chronicle, cast and engraved on the first massive bronze urns of Vietnam…".

The image of a horse is carved on Anh Dinh peak. Photo: Phuoc Thu

In 2012, the Nine Bronze Tripods of Hue were recognized as a National Treasure by the Prime Minister. Subsequently, on May 8, 2024, at the 10th Plenary Session of the Memory of the World Committee for the Asia-Pacific Region in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, the "Collection of Nine Bronze Tripods in Hue Imperial Citadel" of Vietnam was officially inscribed on the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Documentary Heritage List.

The horse, also known as "Ngọ," is considered an intelligent animal in Eastern culture, chosen by the ancients to represent the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches. A 60-year cycle includes the years: Canh Ngọ, Nhâm Ngọ, Giáp Ngọ, Bính Ngọ, and Mậu Ngọ. In the 12 Earthly Branches, the horse is the seventh animal. Those skilled in physiognomy say that those born under the sign of the horse are restless, eager to run, and always in a hurry… Perhaps this is just an assumption based on the horse's instinctive behavior. Looking back at history, many famous people born in Vietnam under the sign of the horse, such as King Lý Nhân Tông, Hồ Quý Ly, and renowned scholars like Tuệ Tĩnh, Lê Quý Đôn, Nguyễn Đình Chiểu, Trần Trọng Kim, Phạm Phú Tiết, Trần Quý Cáp, Tô Ngọc Vân, and Nguyễn Bính, did not possess these traits; on the contrary, they were exceptional talents.

Phan Chu Trinh, originally from Tam Ky, Quang Nam (now part of Da Nang), was a poet, writer, and political activist. His pen name was Tu Can, his pseudonym was Tay Ho, and his nickname was Hy Ma. He was one of the leading figures in the Duy Tan (Modernization) movement of the early 20th century, with the slogan at the time being "Enlighten the people's minds, uplift the people's spirit, and improve the people's lives." His nickname, Hy Ma, was derived from the legend of Hy Ma (also known as Hy Ky) – a precious horse from the pre-Western era of Bach Viet, symbolizing a talented person with great ambition, loyalty to the country, and a desire for peace.

Spring 2026, according to the lunar calendar, is the year of Bing Ngo, the horse, which holds the position of overseer, observing all worldly affairs for the year. According to the Heavenly Stem, Bing belongs to Yang; according to the Five Elements, Bing belongs to Fire; according to the direction, Bing belongs to South. The year Bing Ngo is Heavenly River Water, belonging to Fire. Ngo is where the Fire element is strong, but its sound is Water. Water symbolizes water born from fire, thus it is considered water from the heavens. The rising vital energy, the abundant energy, transforms into clouds and rain. Water symbolizes the power and merit of promoting the vigorous growth of all things. Water from the heavens is inherently high, therefore the elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth on the ground cannot control it. Ancient people believed this to be "the blessing of rain from the Heavenly Court." A new year of Bing Ngo is hoped to bring many advantages for development, abundant harvests, peace, prosperity, and happiness to the country.

Duong Phuoc Thu

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/van-hoa-nghe-thuat/con-ngua-tren-cuu-dinh-hue-162458.html