Excavations near the Han capital of Chang'an have revealed a unique academic complex dedicated to the medical care of imperial warhorses. The site contains a large lecture hall and several treatment wards equipped with specialized stone tables and bronze surgical kits. The find is significant as it marks the first physical evidence of a centralized veterinary education system in ancient China.
Most notably, the team recovered a set of lacquered wooden slips depicting detailed anatomical charts of horses with marked points for early acupuncture and thermal treatments. These records indicate a highly sophisticated understanding of equine biology that was crucial for the mobility of the Han military. The discovery rewrites the history of veterinary medicine and its role in imperial expansion.