Grassland Ethnic Event----Nadam

felt bags are like pearls scattered all over the grassland, people flow like tides from all directions; horses are like meteors chasing the clouds and chasing the moon,

The singing is melodious like a lark...

The grassland in July and August is always immersed in the love of flowers and green grass. At this time, thousands of Mongolian herdsmen would dress up in festive costumes, regardless of the long journey, men, women and children, ride and ride horses, and gather on the green grasslands. On the peaceful grassland in the past few days, colorful flags fluttered, people crisscrossed, cattle and sheep chirped, and grazing horses whined, suddenly presenting a prosperous scene. This is the annual grand festival of the Mongolian nation-Nadam.

Nadam, in the Mongolian word, means game or entertainment.

Nadam has a long history. The ancestors of the Mongolian people were active in the vast area of the Mongolian grassland more than 2,000 BC. The myth of "melting iron into mountains" says that the Mongolian are a heroic nation that emerged from the mountains. The magnificent and beautiful Erguna River is the cradle of the history of the Mongolian nation. In primitive society, the northern ethnic groups living on the Mongolian Plateau gradually mastered the ability to fight wild animals, and later used riding and shooting, a relatively advanced hunting method. With the development of society, wrestling, archery, and horse racing have become physical exercise and recreational sports activities in the military training of nomads on the Mongolian plateau. The emergence of bronzes has made the conditions for wrestling, archery, and horse racing better and better. The riding and shooting in Hu clothes in the north gave the Xiongnu a great military advantage. The custom of the Xiongnu to hold horse and camel races during festivals is still preserved in the Alxa and Bayannur areas of Inner Mongolia. By the Turkic period, not only did riding and archery become more advanced, but the making of bows and arrows became quite exquisite.

In history, Nadam initially held only one competition of archery, horse racing or wrestling. The "Genghis Khan Stone" engraved in 1225 AD said that Genghis Khan conquered Huarazimo. To celebrate the victory, a grand Nadam Conference was held in the Buhasuqi Sea, where an archery competition was held.

In 1260, Kublai Khan became a Mongolian Khan and established his capital Kaiping. In 1267, he moved the center of his rule to Yanjing and called it Dadu (now Beijing City). In 1271, the name of Mongolia was changed to "Yuan". In 1279, the Southern Song Dynasty was destroyed and the whole country was unified. Daimu activities have also been carried out more extensively.

In the Qing Dynasty, Nadam gradually became an organized and purposeful entertainment event convened regularly by the government. The scale, form and content of the event have undergone greater changes. Mongolian princes in the Qing Dynasty held the Nadam Conference every six months, one years or three years, using Sumu, Banner and League as units. Nadam is now richer in content than in the past.

In terms of competition events, in addition to traditional competition events, equestrian, rifle shooting, judo, motorcycle performances, Mongolian chess and other contents have been added. Horse racing is the most exciting traditional entertainment activity on the modern grassland. Horse racing has long become one of the three competitive skills of Mongolian men and is an important indicator of whether Mongolian men are capable or not on the grassland. During the horse racing, herdsmen from hundreds of miles or even hundreds of miles away drove to the party. The number of racehorses varies from 20 to 30 to 100. At this time, the audience's thousands of wishing eyes were all fixed on the hundreds of majestic horses. At the beginning of the horse race, the riders spread out one word, each wearing colorful belts and colorful turbans on their heads, making them handsome and elegant. Audiences who came from afar gathered at the starting point and the end point. The starting point and ending point are filled with various bright colored flags. Just hearing the sound of the horn, the riders flew onto their horses, raised their whips and raced, and competed like arrows fired in unison. For a moment, the red scarf danced, the audience was jubilant, and the sound shook the fields. "It flies over the roadside and people don't have time to watch the year. When it runs, its four hooves are spotless, like a leaping yellow sheep or a bird out of its cage. Its mane is like the grass on the plateau rotating in the wind, and its coat color is like shooting on the water. The halo on the water..."

At the end of the horse race, an old folk entertainer with superb eloquence held tits and hada and recited impromptu to the horse that had won the first place. Praise the horse's posture, even every part of the horse, and express my best wishes. Finally, wipe some of the tits on the horse's forehead, give the rest to the horse's rider, and tie the hada to the horse's neck or reins.

Mongolian archery

Singing in Mongolian folk songs--

The rattan of Hanshan serves as the back of the bow, and the tendons of Luqilin serve as the bowstring; The bow and arrow that shot through the twelve layers of the sky scattered the dark clouds of the ghost realm.

Archery was first used in combat and hunting. King Wuling of Zhao advocated riding and archery in Hu clothes, which further promoted the development of riding and archery activities. Later, riding and shooting became an important military training event. By the Yuan Dynasty, the Mongolians were "good at riding and shooting, and used the benefits of bows and horses to conquer the world." Archery became increasingly important.

Since Zijis Khan, Mongolian men have naturally become conscripts as soon as they reach adulthood, and one of their main weapons is bows and arrows. After Genghis Khan unified Mongolia, although the hunting economy tribes gradually shifted to nomadic economies, the ability to draw bows and shoot arrows accumulated over the years during the hunting period was retained to prevent foreign invaders and wild animals from attacking herds. Shooting is a practical exercise of archery. Shooting is usually held in early winter. The Mongolian Great Khan first issued an edict ordering the army to prepare for hunting and form a huge hunting team. The hunting is the same as the battlefield combat. The troops are divided into three groups: left, center and right, and they are arranged in formation, led by senior officers at the front, followed by baggage vehicles. Since bows and arrows were indispensable weapons in Mongolian life in history, people respected those excellent archers very much. Excellent shooters are not afraid of strong enemies and are happy to perform or compete for their superb skills in public. As a result, archery became an important competition event at the Nadam Conference. The competition is divided into two types: static shooting and riding shooting. Before the birth of New China, there was only one archery competition in Ordos. The target is three sheepskin pockets filled with dust. The range is generally thirty to forty steps. Based on the flow of ash from the arrow and target as the center, each competitor shoots three times, and the rankings are determined based on the number of targets they hit. In Alxa and other grassland areas, both static shooting and riding shooting are used simultaneously. There are no limits on the style, weight, length, and pull force of the bow and arrow during competition. The competition generally stipulates that each person will shoot nine arrows, which will be completed in three rounds. The top three will be evaluated based on the number of arrows that hit the target and will be rewarded. Large-scale archery competitions have as many as 100 participants, and medium-sized riding and archery competitions have about 20 to 30 participants.

The competition track is a shallow ditch four meters wide, two feet deep and eighty-five meters long, with a total of three target positions. The distance between each target position is 25 meters.

The first target is a one-cubic-foot colored cloth bag hanging on a two-meter-high wooden frame. The second target is a white cloth bag measuring one foot. The third target is a white cloth bag with an equilateral triangle. All three cloth bags contained cotton. The first and second targets are located on the left side of the shooter, and the third target is located on the right side of the shooter. The distance between the center line of the runway and the target position is more than two meters away. The competition rules are for one horse to shoot three arrows, and nine arrows should be fired three times, and the shots must be completed within the specified track. If there are any arrows left, it will be considered disgraceful. Before the start of the game, the shooter wore a tight-fitting colorful robe, carried a bow and arrow on his back, and rode the horse to the starting line to prepare. After the referee gave the order, he started to start. At the same time, draw the bow and fire the arrow, aiming at the target. If the arrow is shot on the ground and bounces, it will not hit. When a ring on the target is hit, the target ring automatically falls off. At this time, the audience will continue to cheer the winner

Mongolian wrestling

Mongolian wrestling is the favorite sport of grassland herdsmen. It is called Boke in Mongolian. Wrestling has a long history in the Mongolian grassland. Two Xiongnu bronze medals unearthed in Keshengzhuang, Xi'an, show two strong men wrestling in the middle of the pattern. The shape and art of the bronze medal belong to the Xiongnu relics of the early Han Dynasty, and judging from the frame presented by the wrestling images, it is of the same origin as today's Mongolian wrestling method. The Mongolian wrestling activities before the Yuan Dynasty were of a great military and sports nature, which were used to train strength and skills, and wrestling was used to select and promote strong men. Mongolian wrestling is different from China wrestling and Japanese sumo wrestling. It has its own characteristics in terms of rules, methods, clothing, venues, etc. Mongolian wrestling grasps each other as soon as it comes up, and landing on any part above the knees is a failure. The number of wrestling people is eight, sixteen, thirty-two, sixty-four, one hundred and twenty-eight, and two hundred and fifty six. The total number cannot be odd. Registration is not based on ethnicity, region, or weight limit. Arrange opponents to be held by highly respected referees without consulting the wrestler. The competition adopts a single elimination system, that is, half of them are eliminated in each round.

Wrestlers 'clothing is more particular. They wear fat white trousers on the lower body and a pair of overpants embroidered with various animal and flower patterns on the outside. The top coat is made of fragrant cowhide, with banks or copper nails nailed on the top, and a round mirror or words like "auspicious" in the middle of the back. An apron made of red, blue and yellow silk is tied around the waist, and Mongolian boots or riding boots are worn on the feet. The famous wrestler wears a colorful cloth collar-Jiangga around his neck, which looks very powerful. It is a symbol of winning at a certain level of competition. The competition venue is simple. As long as there is a lawn or soft open space and the audience seats sit around, the wrestlers can compete in the middle. Before the competition, both sides sang a challenge song to boost their momentum. After singing it three times, the wrestlers from both sides jumped out and entered the venue with a posture of eagles spreading their wings. At the beginning of the competition, the wrestling parties greeted each other and saluted the audience before starting the competition. In an instant, fighting and sumo wrestling, circling and holding, legs and knees hitting each other. Mongolian wrestling wins with cleverness. One fall determines the winner. As long as your body touches the ground, you lose. But no legs, no anti-joint movements, no pants pulling. Mongolian wrestling is generally divided into more than 30 kinds and more than 300 movements such as kicking, tripping, entangling, picking, and hooking. Anyone who wins will go to the referee stand and take out the fruits, milk, etc. prepared in advance with both hands, and then scatter them among the onlookers while running, so that everyone can share his "fruits of victory."

In recent years, after reform, the ancient Mongolian style wrestling has become famous at home and abroad for its transliteration, Boke. At the major Nadam Conference, there are women's bok competitions. She is a beautiful and beautiful wonder in Nadam sports and is attracted by guests at home and abroad. The unique charming and ornamental value of the woman Boke woven a bunch of five-color rings for the Nadam Conference. After the reform, the Boke Movement often consists of individual events. This kind of competition not only has individual championship matches, but also has team competitions, exhibition competitions and consolation competitions, thus injecting infinite vitality into the ancient Mongolian wrestling. As a result, Boke ascended the hall of national competitions. Mongolian chess

Mongolian chess, which competes for half a victory, is one of the fascinating game events at the Nadam Conference.

During the Qing Dynasty, Mongolian chess began to be valued by people. The simple rules and methods of Mongolian chess were recorded in the "Koubei Santing Chronicles". Tracing back to the origin, Mongolian chess has a very long history. In ancient India, it was a type of chess called "Chetulangka", which could be played by four players at the same time. It was spread to Arabia in the seventh century AD and was called

"Satraz"

It spread to Europe after the 15th century and gradually evolved into today's chess. Therefore, it can be said that Mongolian chess and national chess originated from the same origin. In the 1330s after Genghis Khan's Western Expedition, this kind of chess skill spread to the grasslands before Europe. It became popular among the Mongolians with the extension of the Silk Road on the Mongolian Grassland and through Persia. Its chessboard is a square composed of sixty-four small squares arranged in alternating shades of color, exactly the same as the chessboard of chess. The light-colored ones are called white grids, and the dark ones are called Haig. The chess pieces are also divided into white and black, with a total of thirty-two. Each side has a king, a commander, two chariots, two elephants, two horses and eight small soldiers. The difference is that Mongolian chess carves elephants into camels and soldiers into hunting dogs, adding to the atmosphere and characteristics of nomadic life on the grassland. According to the "Suiyuan Tongzhi Draft" records, Mongolian chess "is made of small wood carvings into various models. Ji Nuo Yan Er. Each lion and tiger. There are four camels and four horses. Wheel number two. Baopen 2. Little Lion Eight. Tiger eight. A total of thirty-two. During the game, both sides each held sixteen pieces. On one side are Nuoyan, Lion, Camel, Horse, Wheel Wheel, and Lion Cub. On one side are Nuoyan, Hu, Tuo, Ma, Baopen and Xiaohu. Paint red and yellow on both sides. Draw sixty-four squares on square paper. Each occupies 32 squares. Chess method: Place the chess pieces in the middle of the square, row them in the eight squares behind, and place Nuoyan and Lion in the two squares. Place camels, horses, and wheels on the left and right. There is a lion cub in each of the first eight squares. The other party's arrangements were the same. There are no certain rules for who goes first and who goes last when playing chess. The officer took only one step to the right, left, or forward. Lions and tigers can walk in eight directions, left and right. The camel slopes forward. The horse walked around. The wheels and treasure basins are like chess carriages that can travel back, forth, left and right. The cub lion and tiger take a step forward. If they reach the bottom of each other, they can be used as tigers and lions. Taking the promise of a trapped party as the end, there are endless uses."

Among the people, playing Mongolian chess is still the ancient Persian method, which is also the original method of chess. Mongolian chess is called "Satraz" in Mongolian. Obviously, this is the transformation of the Arabic "Satraz". Mongolian chess itself is also a beautiful wood carving art.

Mongolian Bulu

There is a unique and interesting sport that is often welcomed and attracted by the audience at the Nadam Conference. That is the game that everyone loves in the Mongolian nation-"Blu". Blu, Mongolian means stick. The "Blue" game is a throwing game. Blu is shaped like a bodyguard knife, and is divided into far-throwing Blu and aiming Blu. Throw Blu far and call "Haiyamule", and throw Blu near is called "Tulaga". There are also those that can throw both far and accurately, with lead heads or copper hoops wrapped around the top of their heads. Bulu is a hunting tool produced in the hunting era. As a weapon for resisting enemies and hunting, it was used by Mongolian grassland herdsmen for a long time, and later gradually evolved into a pure recreational activity. There is still a touching story about Saibulu that is still circulating on the grassland... There is a princess named Hairitu in Wangye's Mansion. She is very beautiful. Hai Ritu has loved playing Bulu's games since he was a child, and his superb skills are famous in the grasslands hundreds of miles around. When Hai Ritu was old enough to marry, the prince said,"Hai Ritu, no matter how high the golden eagle flies, it must have a home. How can the princess not marry when she grows up?" Hai Ritu said: "Let those young men join me in Saibu." As a result, these young masters all fell into Hai Ritu's hands. Hai Ritu competed with the young herdsman again and finally lost to the young herdsman Battelle. Hai Ritu was about to marry Batter, and there was a sense of joy on the grassland. But on the night of the marriage, the cruel Prince Bai Yinnoyan ordered the killing of Batter. Later, grassland herdsmen held a Saibulu event at the Nadam Conference in memory of Hairitu and Batter.

Blu games are very popular in eastern Inner Mongolia. The throwing method is similar to a grenade and can build strength, speed, dexterity and accurate visual inspection.

Blue's production is simple and the competition venue is relatively simple. As long as there is a rectangular flat field and three round wooden poles are erected thirty meters away, throwing can be carried out.