唐代筆記 vol.51 哥倫比亞藝術博物館：唐代三彩昂首嘶鳴披飾馬（朝天馬、嘯天馬） - Columbia Museum of Art, Neighing Caparisoned Horse, Tang Dynasty

這件唐三彩馬是哥倫比亞藝術博物館（Columbia Museum of Art, South Carolina）的館藏，英文標題為 Neighing Caparisoned Horse，中文可譯為「嘶鳴披飾馬」或「昂首嘶鳴的披甲馬」。

學者常用「嘯天馬」、「昂首馬」、「嘶鳴馬」等詞，描述這類唐代三彩馬的典型姿勢：馬頭高揚、嘴巴張開、頸部前伸、四肢有力站立或略微前傾。這類姿態象徵活力、力量與皇家氣勢，反映唐代對「天馬」、「汗血馬」的崇拜，以及中西文化交流（鞍具上的杏葉飾源自波斯/薩珊影響）。

Whinnying（輕嘶 / 智性呼喚） vs. Neighing（粗暴嘶鳴 / 憤怒呼喚）的區別

• Neighing（嘶鳴）：馬匹發出的高亢、響亮、長距離呼叫聲，通常更粗獷、強烈，帶有較強的張力或情緒爆發感。這種聲音常在馬匹感到分離焦慮、警覺、興奮到極點、或甚至帶有憤怒/挑釁時出現，像是大聲吼叫或宣示領地/尋找同伴的強烈表達。博物館常用這個詞來描述姿態更橫向、頭部前伸、嘴巴大張的「怒吼式」嘶鳴，給人更直接、粗暴的視覺與情感印象。

• Whinnying（輕嘶）：與 neighing 幾乎同義，常被視為同義詞，但許多人（包括部分馬匹行為專家與文學描述）認為它音調稍高、更尖細、尾音拉長或柔和，帶有更智性、渴望、溫柔的呼喚情感。例如母馬呼喚小馬、近距離問候朋友、或看到遠方同伴時的興奮與期待。這種聲音更像是細膩的溝通或情感表達，而非純粹的宣洩。姿態上，whinnying 常對應頭部更高揚、脖子更向上彎曲的優雅「仰天長嘯」感，顯得更內斂、靈性。

唐代加彩嘯天馬，來源：John Berwald，倫敦

在藝術描述中，這種區別可強化姿態的個性：

• Berwald 那件加彩 Whinnying Horse：頭更高揚、脖子向上延伸，姿態更優雅、智性，像是帶有渴望與期待的輕嘶，情感更細膩。

• 哥倫比亞博物館這件 Neighing Caparisoned Horse：脖子較橫向延伸、嘴巴張開更猛，姿態更怒張、粗獷，像是憤怒或強烈宣示的嘶鳴，充滿力量與張力。

兩者本質上都是馬的長距離叫聲，但 neighing 更偏向粗暴、憤怒或強勢的性質（更像「吼叫」），whinnying 更偏向智性、情感豐富的呼喚（更像「細語長吟」）。唐三彩的幾個例子都是脖子較粗，頭朝前，用 neighing 強調正式與力量感，而Berwald的孤品嘯天馬則脖子比例恰當，頭45度以上朝天動作微妙，用 whinnying 突出優雅與情感層次。

唐三彩「嘯天馬」姿勢的頂級傳世例子全世界僅個位數（約3–5件或更少），屬稀有精品，多脖子較粗；加彩版本的類似姿態則更罕見，全世界已知僅1件（或極少數），如John Berwald相關的那件，脖子比例更精確，卻同樣傳神地呈現唐代馬匹的靈性與力量。

藏家介紹

Robert Y. Turner（已故），南卡羅來納州溫斯伯勒本地人，醫生或學者背景，熱衷中國藝術收藏。2003–2007年間，他向哥倫比亞藝術博物館捐贈大量中國藝術品（主要是唐代陶瓷、雕塑），大幅豐富館方亞洲藏品，被視為轉型性捐贈。這件三彩馬即為他於2003年以紀念 M.W. Doty 名義贈送（Gift of Robert Y. Turner in memory of M.W. Doty）。館方曾於2008–2009年舉辦專展「Eye to the East: The Turner Collection of Chinese Art」展示其捐贈。

哥倫比亞藝術博物館介紹

Columbia Museum of Art (CMA) 位於美國南卡羅來納州哥倫比亞市中心，是該州首要的國際級藝術博物館，2025年慶祝成立75周年。館藏涵蓋歐洲、美國、現代當代及亞洲藝術，亞洲部分特別強於中國古代文物，尤其是唐代陶瓷與雕塑。博物館位於市中心現代建築，定期舉辦國際級特展、免費教育活動與社區項目，致力成為人人歡迎的藝術中心。亞洲藏品反映唐代 cosmopolitan 文化，這件三彩馬常作為亮點展出，象徵中西交流與皇家奢華。

昂首嘶鳴披飾馬

Neighing Caparisoned Horse

年代：中國唐代 (Tang Dynasty, 618–907)，約8世紀至9世紀 (c. 8th–9th century)

材質：陶瓷，施三彩釉 (Glazed ceramic, sancai 三彩)

捐贈資訊：Gift of Robert Y. Turner in memory of M.W. Doty（羅伯特·Y·特納醫生為紀念 M.W. Doty 所贈），2003年入藏。

傳承 / 來源 (Provenance)：

前收藏者為 Robert Y. Turner 醫生（南卡羅來納州本地收藏家，專注中國古代藝術）。無更早公開的私人收藏或拍賣記錄，屬 Turner 捐贈系列的一部分。Turner 於2003–2007年間捐贈大量唐代陶瓷與雕塑，此件為其中代表作。無證據顯示曾經歷拍賣行或知名古董商轉手，應為 Turner 直接收藏後捐贈。

其他細節：馬匹昂首嘶鳴姿態，四肢站立穩健，鞍具飾以杏葉形飾件 (xingye)，受波斯/薩珊影響明顯。屬墓葬明器，象徵皇家坐騎與中西交流。常於館內亞洲展廳展出，並在75周年慶系列中作為亮點提及。

唐三彩嘶鳴馬 問答 FAQ

Q1: 這件馬是唐三彩嗎？

A1: 是的，這是典型的唐代三彩（sancai）釉陶馬，約8–9世紀，使用黃、綠、褐三色釉，屬於墓葬明器。

Yes, it is a classic Tang sancai (three-color glazed) ceramic horse, c. 8th–9th century, used as a funerary object.

Q2: 為什麼叫 Neighing Caparisoned Horse？

A2: Neighing 指馬嘶鳴姿態（頭揚、嘴張），Caparisoned 指披飾華麗鞍具（杏葉飾等波斯風格）。

Neighing refers to the rearing/head-high neighing pose; Caparisoned describes the ornate harness with Persian-influenced apricot-leaf ornaments.

Q3: 博物館在哪裡？如何參觀？

A3: 位於美國南卡羅來納州哥倫比亞市中心，官網 columbiamuseum.org。

Located in downtown Columbia, South Carolina, USA. Often free admission days; check columbiamuseum.org for details.

Q4: 與其他著名唐三彩馬有何不同？

A4: 姿態經典（嘶鳴昂首），但頸部較粗壯穩固；類似許多西安出土件，但此件強調皇家鞍具細節，受薩珊影響明顯。

Classic neighing pose with a sturdy neck (technical stability); highlights royal harness details with strong Sasanian/Persian influences, similar to many Xi'an examples.

This Tang sancai horse is part of the collection at the Columbia Museum of Art (South Carolina), with the English title Neighing Caparisoned Horse. A suitable Chinese translation is "Neighing Caparisoned Horse" or "昂首嘶鳴的披飾馬" (or "嘶鳴披甲馬").

Scholarly Chinese terms and their English equivalents

Scholars often use terms like "嘯天馬" (neighing heavenly horse), "昂首馬" (rearing horse), or "嘶鳴馬" (neighing horse) to describe this classic Tang dynasty sancai horse pose: the head raised high, mouth open as if neighing, neck extended forward, and four legs firmly planted or slightly forward-leaning. This posture symbolizes vitality, strength, and imperial grandeur, reflecting the Tang fascination with "heavenly horses" (天馬) and "sweat-blood horses" (汗血馬), as well as Sino-Western cultural exchange (the apricot-leaf ornaments, xingye, on the harness derive from Persian/Sasanian influences).

Rarity of this "嘯天馬" pose in Tang sancai

Both terms essentially describe a horse’s long-distance vocalization, yet they differ in emotional tone and character:

• Neighing leans toward a rougher, more forceful, dominant, or even angry quality (closer to a “roar” or “bellow”). It conveys raw power, assertive intensity, territorial proclamation, or heightened agitation.

• Whinnying leans toward a more refined, intellectually nuanced, and emotionally rich call (closer to a “soft, prolonged murmur” or “yearning cry”). It suggests subtlety, longing, affection, anticipation, or gentle communication.

In Tang sancai examples, the surviving masterpieces of this “screaming heaven” (嘯天馬) pose almost always feature thicker, sturdier necks and a more forward-thrusting head. This robust structure aligns with the neighing designation, emphasizing formality, commanding strength, and imperial grandeur.

By contrast, the singular (or extremely rare) polychrome painted “screaming heaven” horse associated with John Berwald stands apart: its neck proportions are more anatomically precise and elegant, with the head lifted well above 45 degrees in a subtle, skyward arc. The whinnying label here perfectly captures its refined grace, emotional depth, and introspective quality.

Top-tier surviving examples of the Tang sancai “screaming heaven” horse pose are exceedingly rare worldwide—only single-digit complete or near-complete museum-quality pieces (roughly 3–5 or fewer), all of them typically characterized by thicker necks and classified as elite rarities. The polychrome (non-sancai) version with a similar dynamic pose is even scarcer, known in only one (or very few) instances globally—such as the piece linked to John Berwald—with far more exact neck proportions, yet it still powerfully conveys the spiritual vitality and majestic force of Tang horses.

Collector introduction

Robert Y. Turner (deceased), a native of Winnsboro, South Carolina, was a physician or scholar with a deep passion for Chinese art collecting. Between 2003 and 2007, he donated a substantial group of Chinese artworks—primarily Tang ceramics and sculptures—to the Columbia Museum of Art, significantly enriching its Asian holdings and regarded as a transformative gift. This sancai horse was donated by him in 2003 in memory of M.W. Doty (Gift of Robert Y. Turner in memory of M.W. Doty). The museum held a dedicated exhibition in 2008–2009 titled "Eye to the East: The Turner Collection of Chinese Art" to showcase his contributions.

Columbia Museum of Art introduction

The Columbia Museum of Art (CMA), located in downtown Columbia, South Carolina, is the state's leading international art museum and celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2025. Its holdings span European, American, modern/contemporary, and Asian art, with the Asian section particularly strong in ancient Chinese works, especially Tang ceramics and sculptures. Housed in a modern downtown building, the museum hosts major international exhibitions, free educational programs, and community initiatives, aiming to be a welcoming art center for all. Its Asian collection highlights the cosmopolitan culture of the Tang dynasty, and this sancai horse frequently appears as a highlight, symbolizing East-West exchange and imperial luxury.

For the most up-to-date viewing or details, check the museum's official site: columbiamuseum.org (accession number CMA 2003.10.16).