"As dragons in the sky fly second to none, so horses trot on earth. Horses are essential to the armaments, and of great value to national achievements," so wrote the ancient Chinese. Since time immemorial, human beings have been awed by the stamina, beauty, and vigor displayed by the equine breed.
To honor the accomplishments of the award recipient, the Shang Dynasty horse head emblem was chosen for its spirit, one that is kindred to the founding spirit of the Golden Horse Awards. Throughout its history, the trophy design has been transformed many times to match the zeitgest. Today, at the forefront of that history, it is the galloping horse in battle, symbolic of the filmmakers’ tireless and extraordinary dedication to the profession, aesthetics, and global vision of cinema. The horse head trophy is a visualization of the Chinese-language filmmakers’ ongoing pursuit of excellence, as well as their fearless venture into the great world beyond.
──Yuyu YANG (1926-1997)
Founded in 1962, the Golden Horse Awards has recognized and celebrated cinematic achievements by presenting trophies annually to deserving filmmakers. While the identity of the artisan who created the first trophies remains unknown, it was Yuyu YANG, a young sculptor recently returned from Rome, who took the reins by the time of the second award presentation. YANG’s vision in 1963 was that of a galloping horse, symbolizing the Golden Horse Awards’ leading role in the Chinese language films’ race towards the future.
Between 1968 and 1986, successive Executive Committees called for submissions and made use of different designs to invigorate the brand of the Golden Horse Awards. In 1981, the tradition of using varying sizes was retired, and a standard size was adopted for all trophies. In 1987, twenty-six years after its first appearance, YANG’s emblematic 1963 design returned: The famous sculpted horse saw a recast in bronze (1990-2002), and was mounted on bases of varying materials and designs until 1993, when the design and material of the trophy and the base became uniform at the suggestion of then-Executive Committee Chair LEE Hsing.
On the 40th anniversary of the Golden Horse Awards, the trophy was gilded at the suggestion of former Executive Committee Chair George F.H. CHANG, before changing back to bronze the following year. By a resolution of the Executive Committee, the present day award trophy of a golden horse has remained so since 2005.
Between 1968 and 1986, successive Executive Committees called for submissions and made use of different designs to invigorate the brand of the Golden Horse Awards. In 1981, the tradition of using varying sizes was retired, and a standard size was adopted for all trophies. In 1987, twenty-six years after its first appearance, YANG’s emblematic 1963 design returned: The famous sculpted horse saw a recast in bronze (1990-2002), and was mounted on bases of varying materials and designs until 1993, when the design and material of the trophy and the base became uniform at the suggestion of then-Executive Committee Chair LEE Hsing.
-
- SINCE
-
42nd
2005
Designer | YUYU YANG
Manufacturer | YUYU ART
Height | 30 CM
Weight | 3.4 KG
Material | GILT-BRONZE
On the 40th anniversary of the Golden Horse Awards, the trophy was gilded at the suggestion of former Executive Committee Chair George F.H. CHANG, before changing back to bronze the following year. By a resolution of the Executive Committee, the present day award trophy of a golden horse has remained so since 2005.
