Tibetan sports revive glory of King Gesar

For nomads living in northwest China's Qinghai Province, ancient sports remain pristine.

In the first Atak Lhamo Horse Racing Festival in the province's Guoluo Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Trinsang from Tarlag County beat 700 other prairie riders in horse taming, horseback stunts and speed racing competitions.

"Every time I ride a horse and gallop, I think of our Tibetan hero -- King Gesar," Trinsang said.

King Gesar, an 11th Century ballad about a half-human, half-god Tibetan king who conquered the devils of other tribes and sought to help people, is considered a masterpiece of Tibetan folk literature.

According to Wangchen Tsering, associate research fellow with a Qinghai-based Gesar institute, traditional Tibetan sports like horse racing, wrestling, archery, polo and chess were recorded in detail in the King Gesar ballad.

Wangchen Tsering has been studying Gesar culture for over seven years. He said the sports demonstrated both the uniqueness of Tibetan ethnic culture and the entertaining feature of outdoor activities.

"But traditional Tibetan sports as an important part of culture in China are facing challenges amid increasing modernization and the impact of foreign culture," Wangchen Tsering said.

The local government has stepped in to protect the ancient sports tradition.

Horse racing courses have been built to allow more professional racing games.

During a Tibetan chess competition in the province's Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Huangnan, 70-year-old Gyitanga felt "rejuvenated".

He used to play Tibetan chess as a boy. It was popular in Tibetan regions such as China's Qinghai, Gansu, Yunnan and Sichuan, and practised in neighboring countries of Nepal, India and Bhutan.

Wangchen Tsering used to play Tibetan chess with other shepherd boys. Before the game, children would collect white and black stones to be used as chess pieces.

"White stones were easily found, but black ones were rare," Wangchen Tsering said. "Sometimes we used goat manure as a replacement."

Besides official efforts, non-government groups and organizations have also tried to maintain and promote traditional Gesar sports.

A folk arts association based in Shinaihai Township of Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture has been collecting materials regarding traditional sports mentioned in the King Gesar ballad.

Wangchug Tsering, director of the association, said a total of eight volunteers are visiting and interviewing people to collect information on ancient games and competition rules.

"We have built a deep friendship with Gesar artists," Wangchug Tsering said. "I believe we are doing something important and I hope younger generations will not forget the traditional sports art."