Naadam Fair opens in Ordos

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Naadam Fair is the most important holiday of Mongolians. This year in Ordos, the annual mid-summer event has been put off to coincide with the 11th Asia Arts Festival. On today's spotlight, we'll take a closer look at the big party for Mongolian sports and culture.

Blue sky, bright sunshine, and green grassland. It's the best season in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. And it's time to celebrate the biggest festival of Mongolian ethnic group: the Naadam Fair. Naadam literally means "games" in the Mongolian language. Here the games refer to the most important three competitions for men: wrestling, horse racing, and archery.

Among them, horse racing takes the limelight. It's said that Mongolians are born horse riders. Speed and skill are both needed for competing. It's one of the most traditional ways for Mongolian people to show their energy, wisdom, and courage.

Each summer, the Naadam Fair is held across Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region. In Ordos, the festival has been held each year outside the mausoleum of Genghis Khan, a legendary Asian man.

For centuries, generations of Mongolian people have come to the nearby mausoleum to pay tribute to their ancient hero. This year's Naadam Fair is the biggest ever to be held in Ordos. Ordos is widely regarded as the ancestral home of Mongolian horse which is typically short, squat, and robust. Riding on horses, thousands of people from eight banners across Ordos paraded at the beginning of the opening ceremony.

Chief director Bao Chongming said, "Naadam is a big gathering for Mongolians. Besides the competitions, people also sing, dance, drink, and have banquets. Fairs are also held along with Naadam when people from different banners get together. Naadam can be big and small, ranging from a city-wide or just between different families. Anyway, it's time for Mongolian people to celebrate."

And the party won't be complete without authentic Mongolian songs and dances. The distinctive Long Song is a must. The art form was put on the list of UNESCO's oral and intangible heritage in 2005. Accompanied by the amazing singing, athletes compete, showing the beauty of Mongolian sports.

A visitor said, "Yeah, very good. Fantastic. Very colorful. Very exciting. Good display overall. I study in Mongolian history in university. My professor told me that Mongolian is the hardest language in the world. Even you study for 20 years, you won't get anywhere. So I thought to prove it wrong and then I came to Inner Mongolia."

Behind the language of Mongolian ethnic group is their long history and abundant culture. Millions of tourists from home and abroad come and experience the natural beauty and the distinctive culture of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region each year, especially in summer for the Naadam Fair.