In Korean, Chinese, and Japanese mythology the Chollima is a horse often portrayed with wings. It is either too swift to be mounted or capable of running a thousand ri (400 km/248.5 mi) per day.
Legend states that no man could tame him. They are featured commonly in Siberian mythologies and the legend originates from Central Asia.
They symbolize the heroism and fighting spirit of the Korean people advancing at the speed of Chollima.
Korea[]
Traditional Korean rendering of Cheollima
The Chollima symbolizes the advance of Korean society at the speed of the Chollima. It is said that the Chollima can cover 400 kilometers in one day, giving rise to the expression "rush at Chollima Speed!"
The chollima is an important symbol in North Korea. It is used as the nickname of its national association football team. The state also gave the name to the Chollima Movement, which promoted fast economic development, similar to that of the Chinese Great Leap Forward and the Soviet Stakhanovite movement. After the Korean War, the country required rebuilding to function again. In order to expedite the construction, President Kim Il-sung devised the slogan "rush as the speed of chollima".
China[]
Beginning around the 3rd century BCE, Chinese classics mention Bole, a mythological horse-tamer, as an exemplar of horse judging. Bole is frequently associated with the fabled qianlima ("thousand-miles horse", which was supposedly able to gallop one thousand li (approximately 400 km) in a single day.
Qianlima became a Chinese expression for people with latent talent and ability; and
Bole recognizing a qianlima was a metaphor for a wise ruler selecting talented shi "scholar-officials". Thus, geniuses in obscurity were called thousand li horses who had not yet met their Bole".