Seventy-six-year-old herder Migmar spent the entire morning moving between several competition areas in the Lhasa Sports and Cultural Center on Sunday and believed that his day-long hitchhiking journey was completely worthwhile.
The elderly man lives in Bangoin County, Nagqu City, about 360 kilometers away from Lhasa, the capital of southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. He enjoys playing Xiuzi, a strategic Tibetan dice game, and Jiren, a traditional Tibetan board game.
"I am very good at those games and have been playing them since I was young," said Migmar. "When I learned that Lhasa was hosting the Farmers and Herders Games with my favorite events included, I decided to come and watch. The Games offer our herders a chance to participate in sports and compete. My two sons will take care of our cattle in my absence."
Both Xiuzi and Jiren were featured as part of the first Lhasa Farmers and Herders Games, a new attempt at mass fitness activities on the roof of the world. The Games kicked off on June 22 and will run for five days.
The Games feature 19 events divided into two main categories: competitive and traditional ethnic events. The traditional ethnic events include Guduo (a traditional Tibetan sport where participants throw stones tied to ropes), yak racing, Xiuji, Jiren, Tibetan chess, and more. The competitive events include table tennis and various track and field events. Over 500 athletes from all over Lhasa are participating.
Thirty-seven-year-old farmer Losang Chosphel, from Dagze District, participated in the Jiren competition, which has a history spanning several hundred years. The game is played in a manner similar to snooker.
"The Games give our farmers and herders a platform to showcase our ethnic traditional sports. The competitions used to be held only within villages without formal platforms. I am very happy to take part in the Games," he said.
Losang Chosphel's fellow villager, Lhapa Drolma, shared her joy in participating in the tug-of-war competition during the agricultural off-season. She said being able to participate in such an important event right at her doorstep fills her heart with delight. She looks forward to taking part in more similar activities in the future.
Sonam Dekyi worked as a referee for Yajia at the Games. Yajia, also known as "elephant tug-of-war," is a traditional ethnic sport among the Tibetan people. The event features five categories and attracted 42 participants at the Games.
"Yajia is a game that farmers and herders often play during village festivals, but their techniques are not very professional, and they don't know how to protect themselves. Before the competition, the referees explained the rules to the participants to prevent fouls. The competition is much more standardized compared to the ones they have in their villages," said Sonam Dekyi.
Migmar Qungda, Director of the Lhasa Sports Bureau, said traditional Tibetan activities such as yak racing, stone lifting, and Tibetan chess are commonly practised by local farmers and herders. The Games aim to provide them a platform to showcase their sporting spirit and offer a higher-level platform for competitive exchange.
"These events are highly characteristic of Xizang," she said. "Nowadays, the living standards of our farmers and herders have greatly improved, and their demand for spiritual and cultural activities has increased. We held the Games to meet their spiritual and sports needs, and we also hope the Games will showcase the spirit of our rural Tibetans."
China's rural sports have experienced a surge in popularity recently. An amateur football tournament in Rongjiang County in southwest China's Guizhou Province has gained unexpected popularity. It was dubbed "Cun Chao" by Chinese netizens, translating to "Village Super League." In addition, village basketball and volleyball tournaments have also thrived across China, infusing ethnic cultural characteristics into sports events. The success of these rural sports tournaments has sparked a tourism boom and brought substantial economic benefits.
Migmar Qungda also expects the ethnically characteristic Farmers and Herders Games to draw more attention and promote sports consumption.
"During the Games, we organized complementary activities such as a food carnival, an exhibition of specialty agricultural products, and a sports experience zone. This initiative aims to foster the integrated development of sports with agricultural, pastoral culture, and tourism."