If you want to fully experience the charm of Tibet, the three cities are must-see places.
One is Lhasa, the first stop for pilgrims, the other is Linzhi, the "highland south of the Yangtze River", and the last one is Nagqu, the "Northern Gate" of Tibet. And Suo County, one of the "Three Eastern Counties" in Nagqu, can make you deeply feel the heroic attitude of the plateau people.
Around August every year, the Suo County Horse Racing Festival can always make people see a different kind of excitement and applaud.
King Gesar's Glory
In Nagqu, the horse racing festival is called "Daqiong" in Tibetan. It is one of the largest traditional festivals in northern Tibet. It is held in August every year and lasts for 5 to 15 days.
The origin of the horse racing festival has a long history. Among them, the myth of King Gesar is the most widely circulated.
According to legend, a long time ago, natural disasters and man-made disasters were common in Tibetan areas. In order to save all living beings, Avalokitesvara sent the son of the god of heaven to descend to earth to cast down demons. The son of the god was born in the mortal world, named Jueru, born with supernatural power, at the age of 15, he defeated his uncle and the generals in the horse race, won the championship in one fell swoop, and became the king of Ling Kingdom. Afterwards, he conquered the north and the south, subdued demons, subdued the strong and supported the weak, allowing the people to live a peaceful life. In his later years, he brought his mother and beloved wife back to the heaven.
After being sung by generations, Gesar has become a majestic, magnificent and colorful epic. representative list.
King Gesar Jueru was a soldier all his life. His life on horseback has saved countless people and inspired the descendants who sang the story. Every year, the Horse Racing Festival is not only a celebration during the busy farming season, but also an inheritance and demonstration of the spirit on horseback.
Rich ethnic customs
In ancient times, like Gesar, it was not uncommon to select leaders by means of horse racing and martial arts. For ordinary people, the special natural environment of the plateau also makes people's actions inseparable from horses.
Horses, like yaks and sheep, have been integrated into the life of the plateau people, and people have cultivated a strong emotion for horses. It can be said that Tibetans and horses have a deep and profound relationship.
On the racetrack, it is the glory of a good horse and the glory of the galloping person to raise the whip and show the posture of riding the wind.
Therefore, every year on the Horse Racing Festival, herdsmen from all over the township will wear gorgeous national costumes and jewelry, gather together, and actively show the enthusiasm, heroism, tenacity and true temperament of this nation.
Suo County, located in the Great Lakes Basin of the Southern Qiangtang, has open alpine grasslands for natural horse racing. Every August, its alpine grassland is full of wild flowers and green grass, which is a good time for horseback riding.
The horse racing festival will be divided into groups such as children and adults according to the age of the players. The content of the competition includes archery on horseback, target shooting, and short-track sprinting. The name of the winning horse will quickly spread throughout the grasslands, and its reputation will even surpass its owner.
With one order, the horse leaves the string like an arrow. How can such a scene of galloping recklessly not be tempting!