Traditional Features of Nagqu Horse Racing Festival

Traditional Features of Nagqu Horse Racing Festival – Before Festival

From whichever aspect, the Nagqu Horse Racing Festival in August is the most hilarious and the most beautiful. There is no doubt that Nagqu Horse Racing Festival is also a love season. Hence, it is not excessive that Tibetans in pasturing area pay more attention to Horse Racing Festival than Tibetan New Year Festival. Before the Horse Racing Festival, herdsmen in different districts will gather at the place of holding Horse Racing Festival in Nagqu by taking their tents and wearing the most beautiful national clothes and most precious ornaments. In one night, various tents will be tent up around the race course and form a grand "city". The trading, cultural performances, various folk sports, such as tug-of war, long jump and lifting stone, as well as religious activities make this "city" be in name and in fact.

Traditional Features of Nagqu Horse Racing Festival – Horse Race Competition

At the time of formal competition, the pious riders will first circumambulate the giant platform for burning incense to show their respect and get blessed by aged and respectable Lamas. This can be regarded as the stage pose of handsome riders and dressed up horses. The viewers on the both sides of race course will shout and cheer for riders. That's the most impassioned emotional communication between the bold and vigorous herdsmen and heaven and earth.

The distance of horse race is different. The longest distance is about 10 kilometers. Based on age of riders, the competition can be divided into children group, adult group and other groups. Based on content, the competition can be divided into shooting on horse back, shooting target, athletics, short spurting, picking up Hada on horse back, presenting barley wine, as well as trot along on horseback which is similar with dressage. Various interesting activities in the Horse Racing Festival make all viewers at the scene fully immerse in the happy festival atmosphere. There is no strict judgment system about horse racing competition in Nagqu, even in whole Tibet. The form of horse racing is very free, with rich performance implication. But the name of the horse which got the champion of horse racing competition will widely spread over the grassland. The name of the horse is even famous than its owner. These fine horses, such as "Star of the World", "Black Lightning" and "Lanneret on Grassland", were also recorded in stories and legends and highly praised by people since them ever got high scores in Horse Racing Festival. Before Horse Racing Festival, horses which have the ability to get the champion will be taken good care of since the coming of winter. The riders will feed them best forage and have bath for them every day. In general, a fine horse will make people in a family, even in a village to be busy happily for it.

Consequently, if you have Tibet tour during Nagqu Horse Racing Festival, you not only can enjoy wonderful horse racing festival, but also can appreciate many beautiful and exquisite Tibetan style clothes and ornaments.