Social Sciences in China (Chinese Edition)

No. 12, 2023

The Spread of Horse-Riding in the Eurasian Steppe and Its Rise in China

(Abstract)

Celine Lai

The first DOM2 horses, now attributed to the herdsmen of the southern Urals, were instrumental in the spread of horse domestication, chariots, and the practice of riding. From around the 8th century BC, societies of peoples from the eastern steppe migrated southward and began to take shape in north China, developing ties with the states which oversaw the northern borders. The rise of the Pazyryk culture during the 5th century BC intensified the contacts with China in terms of trade and cultural practices. Towards the end of the 4th century BC, the state of Zhao took the lead in reexamining the military landscape, incorporating horsemanship and mounted archery, along with the necessary clothing, into the military. The ground-breaking reform of their previous dismissal of riding advanced the effectiveness of mobility and escalated the scale of territorial expansion, both of which were conditions indispensable for the China’s territorial and cultural unification. Chinese civilization is highly inclusive. The reception of horsemanship testifies to the strength and resilience of China’s cultural fabric, which could absorb and modify elements from diverse backgrounds.