Woodcarving exhibit celebrates Year of the Horse in Beijing

In Chinese mythology, the longma (dragon horse) is a legendary winged creature covered in dragon scales. Now, a massive 2.83-meter-tall woodcarving of this fabled beast has taken center stage at the 700-year-old Hong'en Temple in Beijing's Dongcheng district.

The sculpture is the centerpiece of Gallop Forward!, a woodcarving exhibition honoring the Year of the Horse. It was crafted by the renowned artist Huang Wangwang, whose works are featured in the Palace Museum and often selected as official diplomatic gifts.

The free exhibition, which runs until March 15, showcases several of Huang's large-scale works inspired by Chinese folklore, including the Monkey King, the legendary hero of the classic Journey to the West and the recent gaming sensation Black Myth: Wukong; Yang Jian, the three-eyed mythological superhero; and Nezha, the popular animated hero famous for his flaming wind-fire wheels.