English
Version
2003.4
MUSEUM OF ORIENTAL SPORTS
--A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO TRADITIONAL SPORTS OF MINORITY GROUPS IN CHINA
Article By Cui Lequan
Mongolians living in the grassland of North China have created all kinds of
sports with nomadic features that are different from other minority groups.
Horse racing, wrestling, Mongolian dance and archery - all these are very
common in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
Racing, wrestling and archery are indispensable events in ÒNadamuÓ,
a traditional festival for entertainment. Mongolian chess, bullfighting and
"Bulu" (throwing a sickle-shaped object) can also be seen everywhere.
In the snow-covered and high cold mountainous areas in Northeast China live
Manchu, Korean, Xibo, Dahur, Erlunchun, Erwente and Hezhe people. The land
and production activities of the local people have given rise to a number
of sports events of local colors. They include mounted archery, horse racing
and "Bing Xi", ice-skating of the Machus, skeeing and sleighing
and bear fighting of the Erwenke and erlunchus; grass ball playing, sledding,
ice milling and horse racing of the Hezhe people; and racing with a water
jar on the head.
The Tibetans have such traditional sports as horse racing, running, equestrian,
archery and wrestling. The sports traditions can be seen from the murals in
all Buddhist temples.
The process of building
a house is developed into an interesting sport by the ethnic Yi in Yunnan Province.
Drum dance performed by
the Miaos(Hmong) from Hunan Province.
Wrestling is a traditional
sport of the Manchus inhabiting in Northeast China. Wrestlers wear traditional
ethnic costumes and unique make-up, which makes the sport more appealing.
Performers of the ethnic
Miao (Hmong)show how to climb the ladder with their head upside down.
Horse racing is always the
most exciting event in the ethnic sports gala
Adili takes only 13 minutes
and 48 seconds to walk along a 640-metre-long wire over the Three Gorges on
the Yangtze River.
