馬的文化 The Horse in Chinese Culture

放大圖片

打馬球圖壁畫 Mural of a polo game

唐 Tang dynasty （公元618 – 907年）

　壁畫描繪唐代馬球運動的熱烈場面。整幅畫面色彩豔麗，人物形象鮮明，栩栩如生，富有強烈的動感。

　墓主李邕是唐高祖李淵的曾孫，身世顯赫，且為馬球高手。《封氏聞見記》曾載，唐中宗年間吐蕃使節至京迎娶金城公主，在禁苑中與唐朝宗室貴族進行馬球比賽，連番得勝，後中宗命令李隆基(後來的唐玄宗)與嗣虢王李邕、駙馬楊慎交和武延秀等四人組成球隊，才能挽回頹勢，取得最後勝利。唐代大部分皇帝都喜愛打馬球，皇帝的近衛軍——「神策軍」，就是最優秀的馬球隊，那時連提拔將領，都以球藝高低來決定。

　This mural depicts two players addressing the ball during a game of polo, a popular sport during the Tang dynasty. Both the men in the picture are mounted on fierce steeds. Brilliantly coloured and featuring a realistic portrayal of the action, the mural is an excellent study of man and beast in motion.

　Li Yong, whose tomb this mural is taken from, was a great-grandson of Li Yuan, the Emperor Gaozu of the Tang dynasty. Apart from his royal status and high rank, Li Yong was also an excellent polo player. 　■資料：香港歷史博物館