Page 101 - Majestic Vol4

ORDOS
The Mausoleum of Genghis Khan 成吉思汗陵
SPIRITUAL BELIEFS
Centuries have past, but the horse remains totems of horses are almost ubiquitous on
the core spiritual signifier of Ordos.
In traditional hymns and epics of
Mongolian ethnic group, horses are one
of the most important themes, and heroes
are inevitably linked with their horses
since the Jangar Epic. In Mongolian
folklores, people also use horses as
symbols to express their deepest emotion
for their relatives and lovers.
As a royal pasturing area during the Yuan
Dynasty (1271-1368), the horse-rearing
tradition never faded away in people’s
SPECIAL
racing as featured in Naadam is a cross-
country event, with races stretching 15 to
30 kilometers. Before the races begin, the
audience sings traditional songs to echo
with the jockeys. Winners are considered
heroes with sacred titles. However,
winning is not everything. No matter
which position a horse finishes, it will
receive best wishes from audience again
with their songs. To race is in the blood
of Ordos’ inhabitants.
Consequently, there is no wonder local
spectators gave great zeal for the jockeys
and racing horses on their home turf
when China’s 10th National Traditional
Games of Ethnic Minorities was held in
the city last year.
The city witnessed a glorious victory of
Qin Yong, a jockey with China Horse
Club, on the games to represent a rising
strength in Chinese horse-racing circles.
And, the introduction of thoroughbred
racing in the recent years has also
ignited energy of Ordos to stimulate
horse-racing-related industries and the
construction of related infrastructure.
驭马的精神象征
岁月流转，多少个世纪过去，马依然是鄂
尔多斯精神最核心的部分之一。自打古老
的蒙古族史诗《江格尔》开始，马便无可
避免地和英雄形象联系在一起。传统的蒙
古族民歌和赞美诗当中，马也是最主要的
主题之一。文学作品中，人们也会用马去
表达自己对于亲友和爱人最深的思念。
daily life in Ordos. Today, mare’s milk is 鄂尔多斯地区在元朝是蒙古族皇室的牧
still used to worship the Heaven, and the 场，而当地人们日常生活里的驭马传统也
一直延续着。时至今日，马奶仍然被用来
herdsmen’s yurts. People will also select 祭天、马形象的图腾在牧区的毡房上几乎
the best racehorses to bestow khatag—a 随处可见。每逢节日，人们还会挑出最好
long piece of silk that denotes good 的赛马献上哈达。夏季最重要的节日那达
wishes and blessings— to celebrate the 慕大会上，以摔跤、赛马、射箭为代表
most important festivals during a year. 的“蒙古族男儿三艺”是活动的高潮，也
体现了人们对马的无上尊敬。
Naadam, a traditional Mongolian
festival in mid-summer, highlighted by 和西方讲究短距离速度赛马的传统不同，
its wrestling, horse-racing, and archery 以那达慕为代表的蒙古族赛马往往是15到
games, is another event signifying high 30公里的越野赛。比赛开始之前，观众会
respect for horses. 为赛马和骑师吟唱助兴。获胜者自然会获
得神圣的头衔，但是胜利不代表一切。不
Unlike Western horse racing, which 论成败与否，观众都会再次用传统的民歌
consists of short sprints, Mongolian horse 送上最好的祝福。赛马已经融在了鄂尔多
斯的血液里。
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