Dragon Boat Festival: Traditional Tibetan horse racing held in Shangri-la

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Monday marked the fifth day of the fifth lunar month in China, celebrated as the Duanwu Festival. A key part of the festival in the south of China is dragon boat races. But in Shangri-la, in Southwest China's Yunnan Province, Tibetans raced horses today instead. Our reporter Yang Jinghao has more.

A feast of various feats on horseback. Standing on the galloping horse, handstands and even a human pyramid.

People in the city of Shangri-la ring in the traditional Dragon Boat Festival in a unique way.

BYMS BA CHOS PEL HORSEMAN "This is my second time taking part in the performance. I feel very honored to spread our ancient and valuable Tibetan horsemanship culture to guests from different places."

The spectacular show came as a prelude to the festivity as a whole. A horse race brought together riders from many ethnic minority groups and created a wave of excitement for the spectators. The annual competition consists of some 20 different races, with some featuring daring stunts like archery on horseback.

YANG JINGHAO SHANGRI-LA, YUNNAN "The horse has been playing a unique role in Tibetan people's lives since ancient times. It used to serve as the most important means of transportation for them, and the creature is also an indispensable element in their religious beliefs. So the grand rally is a great opportunity for the horsemen to display their culture."

BLO BZANG PHRIN LAS HORSEMAN "I feel great today. Though we didn't win the championship or the top prize, I'm satisfied with our performance."

YU XUEQING HORSEMAN "Horse racing has been my family tradition. I can say that I grew up on the horseback. I'm now a professional racer and I'll carry on the undertaking. I think such racing is also conducive to the development of the sport in our country."

With their original functions being replaced by modern technologies, horses now play a reduced role in Tibetans lives. And this has aroused some locals' concerns.

VOD MO MANAGER OF YALASUO HORSEMANSHIP CLUB "I hope the age-old traditions can be preserved and that horse-riding skills be passed down to the younger generations. I'm happy to see that the annual event is rekindling people's passion and the number of horses here is increasing again."

On this special occasion, many spectators set up tents near the racing course and have parties. No Zongzi was served, but barbecues and local beers produced a unique flavor. From their singing and dancing, one can easily feel their happiness and blessings toward one another. Yang Jinghao, CGTN, Shangri-la, Yunnan Province.