Header image for the Legendary exhibition.
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John M. Olin Library, Level 1, Thomas Gallery

Legendary: Horses and Classical Chinese Literature

Legendary: Horses and Classical Chinese Literature is an exhibition inspired by Chinese culture and literature highlighting essential works from the East Asian Library’s Collection.

The image shows the placard for Legendary: Horses and Classical Chinese Literature exhibition in Olin Library's Thomas Gallery. Alongside the plaque is a traditional Chinese painting of a man and an unsaddled horse.
The artwork displayed here is the Great Horse of Bo Le by Taiwanese artist Ou Haonian 欧豪年(b. 1935), donated by distinguished Alumni Cho Yee To 杜祖貽.

The depictions of horses convey well-known Chinese idioms and embody the characteristics and spirit of the horse as an important symbol in Chinese arts. The four great novels are among the world’s longest and oldest books and have permeated Chinese culture throughout their existence.

These legendary works – from the adventures of the magical Monkey King to the heroic episodes of 108 outlaws, who abide by Buddhist, Taoist, and traditional Chinese moral philosophies – offer us insight into understanding the traditional Chinese ways of thought.

This photo is of the Legendary exhibition display. There are open books displayed within the exhibition as well as large, ink paintings of horses - some with their riders.
A view of the Legendary: Horses and Classical Chinese Literature exhibition currently on display in John M. Olin Library.

This exhibition was made possible by distinguished Alumni Cho Yee To 杜祖貽 and the horse painting he donated. Chinese Studies and East Asian Studies Librarian Joan Wang organized this exhibition for WashU Libraries.

The image shows a trio of traditionally painted Chinese horses.
Li Yuexi 李月溪(1881-1946), Telebiao 特勒驃, Stone relief rubbings taken from the Six Horses of Zhao Mausoleum 昭陵六骏

Header image: Li Yuexi 李月溪(1881-1946), Telebiao 特勒驃, Stone relief rubbing taken from the Six Horses of Zhao Mausoleum 昭陵六骏