曹植：“昔汉武为霍去病治第，辞曰：“匈奴未灭，臣无以家为？”固夫忧国忘家，捐躯济难，忠臣之志也。 ”元狩二年（公元前121年），汉武帝任命19岁的霍去病为骠骑将军. 霍去病用兵灵活，注重方略，不拘古法，善于长途奔袭。17岁为票姚校尉，率领八百骑兵深入大漠，两次功冠全军，封“冠军侯”(Marquis Champion)。西漢的玉馬首座可能與紀念霍去病有關.(台灣如是齋藏品陳明杰鑑賞撰文)

漢武帝時，大宛國汗血寶馬隨貢入漢，武帝見後奉其為天馬。汗血馬屬山地馬種，據傳可日行千里，速度、力量均勝於中國本地馬種，故武帝不惜餘力，通過外交以及戰爭手段，據載最終於太初四年將此馬種引入國都。

This Western Han Dynasty Jade Horse set may be related to the memory of National Hero Huo Qubing. Throughout China’s long history, the horse has played a significant role in the expansion and consolidation of the empire, as well as a means by which to maintain contact and control across such a vast and diverse terrain. The Han dynasty was repeatedly threatened with attempts by the Xiongnu, the

Hongshan Culture

multi-ethnic nomadic group inhabiting the Eurasian Steppe, to raid the northern and eastern boundaries of China’s territories. This led to a search for horses that were superior to China’s own domestic breeds, and better suited to the challenging topographies of the regions.

1986年鳳翔縣秦公一號墓之所出，為春秋時期，長5.3公分，玉色灰黑，刀工簡練，頸下作小孔(玉雕马头：长5.3厘米，高5.3厘米，厚1.3厘米。墨玉质，马头长方，棱角分明，口微张，双耳残断，双目为单阴线雕刻，颈部后端呈榫头状，其上钻有小孔，以便嵌入固定，风格写实。陕西历史博物馆藏(The existence of jade horse heads and necks (without bodies) is confirmed by an earlier example excavated in 1986 from the circa 537 BC Spring and Autumn Period tomb of Duke Qin, Fenxiang, Shaanxi Province, today housed in the Shaanxi History Museum, Xi’an. Measuring just 5.3 cm in length and minimally carved from a polished black jade, it is drilled through a tab running along the lower neck with apertures for attachment)