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So let us trek back to the demise of the Han Dynasty in China. It's just a quick stroll through the divisions and clashes of rival political parties. I know these are alien thoughts for most of you ... but one must endure the savageries of the olden days ... strange as they may seem.
Turbulence ... invasions ... the Great Wall notwithstanding ... and the Han Dynasty fell (220-589). The nomadic tribes of northern China conquered. Luckily ... with all this invading and conquering stuff ... avarice of the aristocracy still reigned supreme. Breeding always showed. Private workshops were kept. Gold and silver objects were produced by master craftsmen for the exclusive use of their masters. Woe be he who wore a golden trinket above her rank. I shudder to think. Yuan Chen, king of Hejian, delighted in showing off his baubles. Many of these trinkets were horses. Yuan Chen knew horses. He was a horse aficionado.
A mania grew. These luxuries became so in demand that a Northern Wei emperor banned the private employment of gold craftsman. The art of one upmanship had clearly been highly refined. I know some people who would gladly subscribe to this kind of thinking as long as they were the top of the fashion food chain. Gold for me ... yeah yeah yeah. None for you ... yeah yeah yeah.
And so ... now that you know everything of import that there is to know about the machinations of the Northern Wei Dynasty ... I present you with one of the baubles found in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. It is a Gold Auspicious Beast. Snorting and prancing and pawing the ground ... it is waiting to be mounted before dashing off with its rider to wage battle on insignificant rival emperors.
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And there ya have it. That's it for this week folks. Catch you all next week. Benjamin Mark
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