Meet with Culture | Hinggan League : hearing four seasons' echo from the sound of galloping hooves at Naadam

In northeast Inner Mongolia lies a land blessed by nature and history—Hinggan League. Here, 60 percent of the territory is covered by grasslands, forests, and wetlands: “the Skyline Grassland” Ulan Maodu in Horqin Right Wing Front Banner offters cool retreat of summer. Volcanoes and snow in Arxan paint a fairy tale for the seasons. The red memories in Ulanhot are engraved with the unity and shared ideals of all the ethnic groups. 

The grasslands, the intangible heritage, the changing seasons, and the red revolutionary legacy — Hinggan League's splendor converges into the most ardent promise in Naadam's jubilation.

"Naadam" is a Mongolian term for "recreation" or "games", expressing the joy of bountiful herds and harvest. It is a time-honored Mongolian festival, deeply woven into the fabric of Mongolian life.

At the heart of Naadam are the "Three Manly Skills"——horse racing, wrestling, and archery. Over time, they have envolved through innovation, embracing more modern elements. Hinggan League pioneers the 100-day Naadam season, drawing countless visitors to immerse the profound heritage of the grasslands and the power of living intangible culture.

Right now, Xing’an League is holding its "Daily Naadam" festival for 100 days. This is one of five special "Daily" tourism programs. The other four are:  

- Daily Ulan Muqir (performing arts troupes)

- Daily Ice & Snow Fun

- Daily Hot Spring  

- Daily Chinese New Year Celebrations

These activities make sure visitors have fun all year! This season, you can try Bokh wrestling, archery, and even practice horse-riding. You will really feel the excitement of sports on the grassland! 

Mongolian deel robe is a “living legacy” of the grasslands. Long-cut for riding, wide-sleeved for shifting climates, secured by waistband against the winds. Hinggan League’s Mongolian embroidery, a national intangible heritage, encodes the soul of the grassland in every stitch.

Hinggan League hosts exceptionally rich intangible cultural heritage resources —7 at the national level, 65 at the autonomous region level, 219 at the league level. Hinggan Lingchuang Intangible Cultural Heritage & Creative Products Exhibition and Experience Center, the first ICH-themed experience center in the region, integrates ICH craft demonstrations, performance exhibitions, cultural creative products into a unified space fostering sense of community for the Chinese nation.

If you ask me what is most captivating about Hinggan League, I would say it is the sound of galloping hooves at Naadam — but even more, it is the timeless surprises hidden beyond the sound, forever fresh in memory. One visit is not enough; you need to wander slowly, to savor it step by step — for both good scenery and good stories are worth returning to, again and again.

Hinggan League — more than just Naadam, it is a promise across all four seasons.

总策划：曹川川

文案：曹川川，陈嘉懿（实习）

编导：曹川川，李颖

翻译：张芃芃，刘之（实习），黄衍博（实习）

摄像：杨子建，昭拉

剪辑：昭拉