Encountering Naadam, Experiencing the 35th Grassland Carnival of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region
Opening Ceremony of the 35th Grassland Naadam Fair of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7958/259600_figure1.jpg
As popular Inner Mongolian ballads blend with spirited dances and the haunting melodies of the morin khuur (horsehead fiddle), the vast grassland of Xilingol transform into a living stage. A procession of 1,200 horsemen bearing the national flag, followed by 512 Inner Mongolian wrestlers advancing with eagle-like poise, ignites the festival spirit, turning the grassland into a joyful paradise of melodious songs and folk dances.
Cannot view this video? Visit:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMSuyKNMGeI
"Naadam", a Mongolian word for "games" or "recreation", is a traditional festival in Inner Mongolia. The competitions of Mongolian wrestling, horsemanship, and archery, known as "three manly skills", are rather spectacular and the most popular with local people.
Wu Enqi, deputy director of the Culture, Sports, Tourism, Radio, and Television Bureau of East Ujimqin Banner, explained that Mongolian wrestling, horsemanship, and archery were essential skills for ancient Mongolian men to master during their upbringing. These skills once vital for survival on the battlefield have become fixed events at the Naadam Fair in the era of peace, which are still liked by many people to this day.
Traveling from Suzhou to witness the spectacle of Naadam, visitor Lei Jie shared, "Every moment in Xilingol felt magical, but nothing matched the visual impact when masculine Inner Mongolian wrestlers stepped into the arena at the Naadam Fair."
Bökh (Mongolian wrestling) means "sturdiness, solidarity and persistence" in Mongolian. Victorious wrestlers wear Jiangga, a rainbow-hued silk neckpiece, the strands of which record their triumphs. The more strands there are on a piece of Jiangga, the more victories it represents.
Sun Haitao, a cultural researcher in Xilingol League, stated that Naadam holds a significant and far-reaching influence in the hearts of the people across the grassland, akin to the "Olympics". In recent years, Naadam has been enriching its content with the development of the times, evolving from undiversified festive activities into a comprehensive cultural tourism IP that integrates cultural experiences, sports competitions, and industrial development, constantly infusing Naadam with new vitality.
Furthermore, this Naadam Fair has elaborately planned 18 characteristic zones, featuring both traditional Mongolian cultural displays such as the "Three Manly Skills" competitions and intangible cultural heritage exhibitions, as well as innovative modern experiences like grassland photography in folk costumes and family camping. Visitors can not only watch captivating performances but also join activities such as horseback riding and stamp collection, experiencing the unique charm of grassland culture through interaction.
Hashtag: #GrasslandCarnival #InnerMongoliaAutonomousRegion
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Contact:
Hao JianEmail: 7511258@qq.comPhone Number: 86 04716664059
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/259600
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
The Welshman part of Hong Kong China rugby history
Hong Kong China have made history by qualifying for a first World Cup, and a Welsh rugby stalwart helped them do it after a 6,000-mile gamble. Former Dragons captain Lewis Evans, whose 236 appearances remains a club record, has been part of the national set-up since 2021 and was on the management team for a sixth successive Asia Rugby Championship triumph. The trophy, earned by a 70-22 hammering of Korea, wasn't the main prize this year, it was a place at the expanded 24-team Rugby World Cup in Australia in 2027. Forwards and defence coach Evans, a back-row forward in his playing days, will watch December's draw with interest. The 38-year-old from Newport could be hatching plans for South Africa, New Zealand, France, England, Ireland or even Wales as Hong Kong, currently ranked 23rd in the world, aim to earn respect Down Under. "We aren't going to win the World Cup, but look at what Portugal did last time, we want to be the darlings of the tournament," said Evans, referring to the European minnows who stunned Fiji and drew with Georgia. "Winning one game will be a challenge and so would be staying competitive given that we are going up against top teams. "Facing South Africa, Ireland, New Zealand, England would be very tough, but if you can't build yourself up for that… "Give us another year with a full-time programme and we will show that we've got good players who deserve to go up against quality teams. "Expansion of the World Cup is important to give emerging nations the chance to be on that big stage trying to compete." Dragons back-row Evans to retire Draw for 2027 World Cup to take place in December Building to qualification Evans was head coach when Hong Kong were close to qualification in 2022 after winning the Asia Rugby Championship. They lost to Tonga in a play-off then took part in a qualification tournament that featured USA, Kenya and winners Portugal. The expanded 2027 World Cup, with 24 teams split into six groups, presented a big opportunity that they took. "Since the Chinese New Year we have had 22 players who are full-time and that has got them physically fitter and working to a game plan," said Evans. "We are in a good place to build and are able to utilise sevens boys, who are full-time, while other players are on a hybrid model. "We have personal trainers, teachers, bankers and our starting 12, Tommy Hill, is a crypto solicitor who has made a lot of sacrifices." 'Leap of faith' Evans was a whole-hearted back-rower over 15 seasons for the Dragons and his exploits earned two Wales call-ups. He was denied a place on the summer tour to North America in 2009 because of a fixture clash with a European Cup play-off and missed out on the matchday squad for the post-World Cup Test against Australia in 2011. The move to Hong Kong in 2021 has given the former Wales Sevens and age-grade international a chance to experience Test rugby. "It was a big jump considering that I had never lived further than three or four miles from the M4," he said. "To suddenly move 6,000 miles away to Hong Kong was a big leap of faith and it was initially the plan to do two years and come back. Four years on and I have just signed another two-year contract." Evans works under New Zealander Andrew Douglas on a staff that features former Scotland prop Alex Allan, South African Marno Meyer and Kiwi Logan Asplin. "It will be a six-year mission that I have loved and leaving my comfort zone has been massive for my coaching development," said Evans, who worked with Dragons age-grade teams, Newport RFC and his boyhood club Newport High School Old Boys in Caerleon while playing. "Hong Kong is a brilliant place for a young coach because you get experience of international rugby, but also work alongside coaches from around the world and are exposed to different ideas and thinking." Welsh connections Evans is following in the footsteps of the likes of Leigh Jones, Dai Rees and Will Thomas in Hong Kong and is part of a sizeable Welsh contingent featuring former Cardiff coach Paul John, ex-Dragons forward Jevon Groves, former Dragons and Ospreys back Tom Isaacs and ex-Newport RFC favourite Adam Frampton. But would the former flanker, who is expecting a daughter with partner Lizzie in the coming weeks, return home for the next step of his professional coaching journey? "At the age of 25 I would have said that I'd eventually love a transitional role before going on to become forwards coach or head coach at the Dragons, but it didn't work out that way," he said. "The ambition is to come back to the UK, but leaving for Hong Kong opened my eyes up and in coaching you have to be ready to take the opportunities when they come." First, Evans has a World Cup to build towards.
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Yahoo
"He Gained All The Weight Luka Lost": James Harden Criticized By Fans For Seeming Unfit In Asia Tour
"He Gained All The Weight Luka Lost": James Harden Criticized By Fans For Seeming Unfit In Asia Tour originally appeared on Fadeaway World. James Harden has a massive fan base in Asia, especially in China, where the Clippers star is revered as one of the greatest players of all time. From addressing Daryl Morey's controversy in 2019 to calling Morey out and announcing his exit from the 76ers in 2023, Harden has always kept it real with his Chinese fans. Now, on his most recent trip to China, Harden has come under public scrutiny for seemingly adding a few pounds to his weight. While thousands of fans in China gathered together to welcome Harden to their country, fans online were more concerned about the Clippers star's fitness situation. A clip from Harden's visit to China went viral, and fans flooded social media with jokes and also showed concerns over his weight. Not all fans were just making jokes about him. Some even believed that this was a part of his usual cycle, and he would transform his body back into fitness by the time the season begins in October. "He gained all the weight Luka lost," said a fan who compared Harden's fitness to Luka Doncic's body transformation this summer. "Kendrick Perkins would look skinny next to Harden." "He's gotta be wearing that fat suit, there's no way." "Please tell me he got some enemies and he's wearing a vest or something." "James Harden definitely found all the buffets out there in China." "James Harden looks like he absorbed Luka Doncic like Cell from Dragon Ball Z." "Lmao yall stay body watching bro it's the offseason he'll come in the season in shape and stay in shape until the next offseason." "That's a typical preseason Harden." "This is just a sneak peek at how James Harden will likely look as soon as he retires from the NBA. Bro wants to enjoy them meals and millions in peace, and I feel him." "He still gone hit that step back on em is the crazy thing," said a faithful fan who believed that Harden could still perform at the same level as he did despite the weight gain. The Clippers' star reportedly was a key reason why Chris Paul and Bradley Beal joined them this season. Days after signing his $81.5 million extension with the Clippers, Harden is now having the time of his life vacationing in China. The All-Star guard finished last season while averaging 22.8 points, 8.7 assists, and 5.8 rebounds in the regular season. This is not the first time we have seen a major transformation in Harden's physique headed into the offseason. NBA players' bodies transform at a much faster rate than non-athletes, seemingly due to their increased rate of metabolism. Won't be a surprise if somehow Harden manages to lose all the weight he has gained by the time the next season begins. But with passing time and age, will Harden be able to bounce back once again? Or are we seeing a decline towards retirement for the 35-year-old star? I expect that we will see a repeat of the same cycle, and Harden will be back to his prime fitness by the beginning of the 2025-26 story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Aug 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
China's swimming prodigy draws global praise and a note of caution
HONG KONG — A 12-year-old Chinese swimmer has become a global sensation with her history-making times, even as observers and fans back home caution against overhyping the young athlete. On Thursday, Yu Zidi became the youngest-ever medalist at the World Aquatics Championships, which are being held in Singapore this year. On Sunday, she finished 4th place in the women's 400 individual medley final. Yu was part of the Chinese team that took bronze in the women's 4x200-meter freestyle relay, with the United States winning silver and Australia winning gold. Though she did not compete in the final, she received a medal because she swam in the qualifying race. 'I was really excited to join the relay. It felt great,' Yu told reporters Thursday. 'The World Championships are fun, and I hope to swim faster.' The Chinese prodigy began swimming around age 6 just to beat the heat in her home province of Hebei. She said she never thought about becoming a professional athlete until a coach approached her at a swimming pool one day. 'At the time, I thought: why not give training a try?' Yu told Xinhua, China's state-run news agency, in May. Yu, who is also the youngest person to medal at a major international competition since 1936, could earn an individual medal on Sunday in the women's 400-meter medley. Her times are so fast that they allowed her to compete at the World Aquatics Championships even though the minimum age requirement is usually 14. She has already come close to medaling in two other events in Singapore, missing the podium by 0.06 seconds in the women's 200-meter medley on Monday and 0.31 seconds in the women's 200-meter butterfly on Thursday. At the Chinese national championships in May, Yu finished the 200-meter individual medley with a time of 2:10.63, winning a silver medal and setting a world record in the event for any 12-year-old, male or female. Hailed as the world's greatest swimmer her age, Yu has been compared to phenoms such as Katie Ledecky of the United States and Summer McIntosh of Canada, with times that would have put her on the verge of medaling at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Already, Yu is swimming the 400-meter individual medley about 15 seconds faster than McIntosh was at the same age. Her stunning performance before she's even a teenager has many wondering how she might shape competitive swimming in the years to come. But some Chinese sports fans and commentators have urged the public not to overhype the preteen rising star. Yu's sudden fame may expose her to 'disproportionate' pressure that could keep her from achieving her full potential, the state-backed digital news outlet Shanghai Observer said in an editorial Thursday. 'We must let this 12-year-old grow her splash slowly into a wave,' it said, adding that there is 'no need to rush into hero worship.' The warning hinted at a shift in how China promotes its elite athletes in the wake of persistent doping allegations and what has been criticized as a 'toxic' fan culture. Success at the highest levels of sport has been central to China's construction of national identity, with the government focused on dominating medal tables at the Olympics and other events. But the push for gold medals also puts a lot of stress on the countries' star athletes, as does the intensity of public scrutiny. Organized sports fandom first emerged around 2016 when Chinese social media users, jaded by sex scandals that had tarnished the wholesome image of pop stars they previously adored, began following Olympic athletes instead, said Zhang Bin, a veteran sports commentator in China. The new fans brought 'sophisticated strategies' from the entertainment industry, setting off 'fandom wars' among different groups that tried to outdo each other in supporting their athletes, Zhang said. China's extreme sports fan culture, which can include fan mobs, cyberbullying of athletes and heckling behavior at sports events, was especially visible around the Paris Olympics last year. When gold-medal-winning diver Quan Hongchan returned to her hometown, visitors flocked to her home for days. Some livestreamed with their phones while others flew drones, and travel agencies even started offering tours of her village. Pan Zhanle, an Olympic champion swimmer, was praised for disbanding his official fan group after his success at the Paris Games overwhelmed him with a surge of new followers. The Chinese government has been cracking down, with its cyberspace watchdog saying in April that it had shut down over 3,700 social media accounts with illegal or noncompliant content aimed at Chinese athletes. But sometimes the frenzy goes beyond the internet. Chinese table tennis player Fan Zhendong, an Olympic gold medalist, said he was traumatized when a stranger sneaked into his hotel room in 2023. 'I never thought, as an athlete, I would have to go through something like this,' he told Phoenix TV last week, adding that organized online abuse had caused him 'severe' mental stress that contributed to several unexpected losses. Since sports prodigies naturally attract followers, fan groups could also be a concern for Yu in the future, said Zhang, who was at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore. China is often overprotective of its athletes, but it 'may not be a good thing if Yu is living in isolation like protected giant pandas,' he said. 'For athletes, learning to interact with the media is a necessary part of their development,' Zhang added. Jessie Zhou, 23, a graduate student in Hong Kong who closely follows table tennis star Fan, said it was a 'good call' for Chinese media to cover Yu in a 'restrained tone' while extreme sports fandom remains unresolved. 'Just let the kid stay focused on training,' Zhou said. This article was originally published on
