Winter Naadam festival kicks off in Inner Mongolia

A winter Naadam featuring an international off-road race kicked off on December 23 in Hulunbuir, North China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

The term “Naadam” means “entertainment” and “recreation.” As the name of the festival suggests, it features ethnic Mongolian sporting events such as archery, horse riding and wrestling.

In the morning, local people offered hada, pieces of silk used as greeting gifts, to the guests at the opening ceremony as a manner of welcome. They then took part in a sacrificial ritual and presenting a singing, dancing and horse-lassoing performance.

A total of 1,500 athletes from home and abroad gathered in Hulunbuir to participate in an international off-road motorcycle race on snow and a skiing contest.

Organizers will also host horse racing, ice hockey and other events in the following two months.

In addition to the winter Naadam in Hulunbuir, other cities across Inner Mongolia are also holding ice and snow activities.

In the Hinggan League, a two-day winter Naadam Fair is being held for more than 200 local herdsmen to compete in horse racing and other traditional Mongolian sporting events.

In the region’s capital city Hohhot, over 800 residents participated in snow tubing, ice gyro and ice wagon contests.

Inner Mongolia has been promoting its winter sports to warm up for China’s 14th National Winter Games, which are scheduled to be held in Hulunbuir in 2020.