杨时乔

Yang Shiqiao was an official and scholar of the Ming dynasty; public records on his life, career and dates are limited, so a detailed account is not possible. What can be confirmed is that two works are transmitted under his name: Ma Zheng Ji (A Record of Horse Administration) and Xin Ke Ma Shu (Newly Cut Book on Horses, unannotated edition). Both deal with the horse administration system and with methods of raising and herding horses, combining traditional institutional regulations with practical technical knowledge. Works of this kind generally trace the evolution of horse administration through earlier dynasties while drawing on husbandry experience; they are clearly organized, practical in focus, and reflect the concern of Ming literati with state horse policy and frontier defense. Owing to limited sources, Yang Shiqiao's other experiences and scholarly lineage cannot be verified. His works are now classified under Eastern philosophy, and readers may use Ma Zheng Ji and Xin Ke Ma Shu to understand the form and content of ancient Chinese writings on horse administration.