YE ZHONGSAN, DATED TO THE FOURTH MONTH OF THE DINGYOU YEAR (1897), BOTTLE PROBABLY 1750-1800

The legendary Eight Horses of Mu Wang, the fifth sovereign of the Western Zhou dynasty, were renowned for their speed and perseverance, and are a common theme found in Chinese decorative art. They are traditionally believed to have been used by King Mu on his mythical journey to visit Xiwangmu, the Queen Mother of the West, and on his expeditions to subdue barbarian tribes.