A boy holds a Chinese national flag while riding at the opening of the Yushu Horse Racing Festival in Yushu City, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, July 25, 2024. /Courtesy of Publicity Department of the CPC Yushu Municipal Committee
The third Sanjiangyuan Ecological Culture Tourism Festival and the Yushu Horse Racing Festival, a three-day extravaganza, concluded at the Zhaxike racecourse in northwest China's Qinghai Province on Saturday.
Nearly 10,000 people had gathered at the racecourse in Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture's Yushu City on July 25 to celebrate the opening of the event.
A man picks up khata scarves while riding at the opening of the Yushu Horse Racing Festival in Yushu City, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, July 25, 2024. /Courtesy of Publicity Department of the CPC Yushu Municipal Committee
A man hangs off a horse at the opening of the Yushu Horse Racing Festival in Yushu City, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, July 25, 2024. /Courtesy of Publicity Department of the CPC Yushu Municipal Committee
A man hangs off a horse at the opening of the Yushu Horse Racing Festival in Yushu City, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, July 25, 2024. /Courtesy of Publicity Department of the CPC Yushu Municipal Committee
With a history spanning over 1,300 years, the festival is a cornerstone of Tibetan culture. Traditionally held on important occasions such as mountain worship, welcoming guests or weddings, horse racing festivals are a beloved tradition.
Tibetans from Yushu don vibrant traditional attire and pitch their tents across the Jiegu grassland, creating a breathtaking spectacle as they gather for the festivities.
The opening of the Yushu Horse Racing Festival in Yushu City, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, July 25, 2024. /Courtesy of Publicity Department of the CPC Yushu Municipal Committee
A man rides on two horses at the opening of the Yushu Horse Racing Festival in Yushu City, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, July 25, 2024. /Courtesy of Publicity Department of the CPC Yushu Municipal Committee
The festival showcases a remarkable array of equestrian feats, including horse archery, horse shooting, the graceful art of picking up khata scarves while riding, and the daring displays of horse backflips and hanging off a horse.
In addition to these thrilling performances, visitors can enjoy long-distance and walking horse races, as well as yak races. The event is further enriched with vibrant traditional songs and dances, and captivating folk costume displays.
(All images provided by Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Yushu Municipal Committee)