Painted murals adorning the walls of the Tomb of Lou Rui depict mounted processions, Northern Qi Dynasty, from the collection of the Shanxi Museum [Photo/Shanxi Museum official WeChat account]
In Taiyuan, Shanxi province, mounted processions once galloped across the painted murals adorning the walls of the Tomb of Lou Rui – Lord of Dong'an in the Northern Qi Dynasty (550-577). The horses and riders are the tomb occupants' grand cavalry escorts, reflecting the martial life of the northern nomadic rulers. Filling a significant gap in the history of Chinese art, the murals are preserved in the Shanxi Museum.