Inner Mongolia Travel: A Filming Journey from Hohhot to Xilinhot (Photos)

For a journalist, the longest work trips in my career have always been filming assignments. Whether a TV drama or a documentary feature, the whole process from early preparation to actual shooting usually takes a long time. In Inner Mongolia, for example, the TV drama Broken Soul at Diaoyu Fortress and the documentary Chinese Ethnic Sports – The Mongolian Chapter left deep impressions on me.

On the Way to Hohhot (Photo: Li Baoqi)

I remember it was early April 1994 when I joined the crew of Broken Soul at Diaoyu Fortress. The preparatory work was already in full swing. First, a complete script was sent to the CCTV Inner Mongolia Correspondent Station. Colleagues there helped pass the script to the Publicity Department of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region for review and specific revision suggestions. Very soon the station phoned us to go to Hohhot.

At Hohhot Airport (Photo: Li Baoqi)

On 14 April 1994, together with Li Baoqi and Lin Qi from Emei Film Studio, screenwriters Sun Shanqi and Zhang Baisong, and other key creative members – who had already come to Beijing earlier that month – we at last set off on a repeatedly delayed trip to Hohhot. Flight 1130, originally scheduled to depart Beijing Capital Airport at 19:35 that evening, was delayed. But once airborne the flight took only about 45 minutes and we touched down smoothly at Hohhot Airport at 21:40. Jiao Jian, then deputy head of CCTV’s Inner Mongolia Station, was there to meet us. Two off-road vehicles and a Cadillac whisked us to Jingxiang Hotel in downtown Hohhot.

At Inner Mongolia Film Studio (Photo: Li Baoqi)

On the morning of 15 April, with the help of then station directors Li Guolin and Jiao Jian, we went as arranged to Inner Mongolia Film Studio. Under the arrangement of director Yu Jie, we looked over all the costumes, props, cameras and lighting equipment that could be rented. Everything was done in a tense, orderly and efficient manner.

Heading to Location (Photo: Li Baoqi)

Leaving the film studio, we drove straight to the Inner Mongolia Museum. There we saw historical artefacts closely related to what the drama needed – a great help to art designer Lin Qi. Unfortunately the light inside was dim and the photos rather unsatisfactory, but we still gained a lot. I never expected our first day in Hohhot to go so smoothly.

With the Two Scriptwriters on Location (Photo: Li Baoqi)

Before dawn on 16 April we got up, packed simply and lugged our equipment out. The hotel lift was not yet running, so we had to carry the heavy camera and tripod down to a minibus already waiting for us. Accompanied by station head Li and others we set off at once for the location at Zhaohe and Siziwang Banner.

In Front of a Zhaohe Yurt (Photo: Zhang Baisong)

Around 11 o’clock we reached our first spot, Zhaohe. The grassland here was beautiful – a great, flat meadow dotted with gently rolling hills and the occasional herdsman driving flocks of white sheep in the distance. The wind on the steppe was very strong. We shot from two angles, capturing many landscape cutaways perfectly suited to the script. Then, after a short rest in an ordinary herder’s yurt, we hurried on to Siziwang Banner. It was the weekend when we reached the banner government compound; the entire building stood empty.

With the Two Station Heads (Photo: Li Baoqi)

After much effort, station head Li Guolin finally tracked down a local publicity official. As it was lunchtime they entertained us with the local specialty, braised mutton prepared in traditional fashion – warm and generous hospitality. After lunch we arrived at the second location, the Siziwang Banner grasslands. The scenery differed from Zhaohe; a vast, flat steppe stretched endlessly before us. Because of the season the grass had not yet turned green. In June or July, the boundless emerald pastureland would have been breathtaking.

Script Seminar (Photo: Li Baoqi)

All our work in Hohhot proceeded according to plan. Having finished shooting at the two locations, we held a script seminar for Broken Soul at Diaoyu Fortress on the afternoon of 18 April in the second-floor meeting room of Jinxiang Hotel in Hohhot. Experts and scholars from the Inner Mongolia Publicity Department’s script and film divisions, the Ethnic Affairs Commission, the Academy of Social Sciences and other units attended. A wide-ranging discussion produced many valuable comments and suggestions, and the seminar concluded successfully.

At Wang Zhaojun’s Tomb (Photo: Li Baoqi)

On 19 April, during a brief spell of free time, we visited two scenic spots near Hohhot. The first was the Tomb of Wang Zhaojun on the banks of the Dahei River, 9.5 km from the city. Also known as the “Green Mound” or in Mongolian as “Temur Urhu” (meaning “iron fortress”), it is the recorded burial place of Wang Zhaojun, a beloved consort of the Han dynasty. Built during the Western Han over 2,000 years ago, it is now one of the Eight Sights of Hohhot.

At Wang Zhaojun Scenic Area (Photo: Li Baoqi)

The second spot was the Five Pagoda Temple in the southeastern part of Hohhot’s old town. It is said there are five such temples across the country, but this one is unique, with high artistic and antiquarian value. Its full name is the Diamond Throne Pagoda – because five square relic pagodas stand on the base, it is simply called the Five Pagoda Temple.

At the Five Pagoda Temple (Photo: Li Baoqi)

The pagoda was built during the reign of the Yongzheng Emperor in the Qing dynasty and stands about 16 metres tall, entirely faced with glazed bricks. The lower part bears Diamond Sutra inscriptions in three scripts, while the upper section showcases thousands of tiny gilded Buddha figures – a finely crafted brick stupa of Tibetan Buddhist architecture. Today the Five Pagoda Temple is one of Inner Mongolia’s landmark tourist attractions.

Group Photo Before Parting Ways (Photo: Li Baoqi)

By 20 April our preliminary work in Hohhot had essentially concluded. However, the script required us to continue scouting locations in Dali, Yunnan Province. So our advance team took the train back to Beijing while I flew back from Hohhot. The plane left on time at 8:30 and reached Beijing Capital Airport in about 50 minutes. Even though I was in Beijing, I could not go home because next I had to continue on to Yunnan.

Crew Photo in Dali (Photo: Wang Chong)

That day we regrouped at the airport and, joined by director Huang Jianzhong from Beijing Film Studio, boarded flight 4182 to Kunming. After a three-hour flight we landed at 21:30 in the evening. Comrade Wang Chong from Yunnan Television met us and arranged our stay at Yunnan Hotel.

With Director Huang Jianzhong (Photo: Li Baoqi)

At 9 am on 21 April 1994 we boarded a minibus and left Kunming for Dali. There was no expressway then; the bus climbed mountains and wound through valleys for over ten hours before reaching Dali, where we checked into Cangshan Hotel. That evening the deputy governor of Dali Prefecture received our entire creative team. At the meeting I heard director Huang Jianzhong’s impassioned speech for the first time and was deeply impressed.

Principal Creatives at Erhai Lake (Photo: Wang Chong)

Over three days in Dali we shot at the Ancient City of Dali, the Three Pagodas, Zhoucheng Old Street, the Bai community at Xizhou, and other sites. From 14 to 25 April I had travelled all the way from Inner Mongolia in the north to Yunnan in the southwest – twelve whole days. Though I only set foot in two provinces and autonomous regions, the cumulative distance was several thousand kilometres. Yet this was only part of the preparatory work. After more than four months of script polishing in Beijing, we finally started principal photography in Xilinhot, Inner Mongolia.

Arrival at Xilingol Grasslands (Photo: Li Hong)

On 13 August 1994 I flew from Beijing to the location in Xilinhot, officially kicking off the shooting of Broken Soul at Diaoyu Fortress. It was precisely the month-long sojourn on the Xilingol grasslands that left me with unforgettable memories and a profound bond with the beautiful Inner Mongolian steppe.

Directors Huang Jianzhong and Ma Longxiang (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

The 30-episode television drama Broken Soul at Diaoyu Fortress is an epic work. Originally titled Fishing Alone in the Central Plains, it was later renamed Broken Soul at Diaoyu Fortress. Because of the name change, we twice requested General Zhang Aiping to write the title in his calligraphy; both times he kindly obliged. As head of the film and television department of the producing unit, my superiors instructed me to represent our unit and participate in the management of the crew. So I accompanied the principal creators to various places, from Inner Mongolia to Dali in Yunnan, and several times to the ancient battlefield of Diaoyu Fortress in Sichuan to scout locations.

Shooting Kick-off (Photo: Wang Ju)

After shooting started I also travelled to the Inner Mongolia locations and later coordinated studio editing. I poured a great deal of energy into this production. Every time I see those familiar frames shot in Inner Mongolia, I cannot help recalling the unforgettable days and nights on the Xilingol grasslands.

On Set (Photo: Wang Ju)

This long-form drama – with Huang Jianzhong of Beijing Film Studio as chief director and Ma Longxiang of Sichuan Television as executive director – is set against the historical background of the 13th-century Mongol leader Möngke Khan, his brother Kublai, and their hundreds of thousands of cavalry waging campaigns to unify north and south. Through countless hardships they were ultimately thwarted beneath the walls of Diaoyu Fortress in the mountains and rivers of Sichuan. The story intertwines a tragic, desolate epic with a tale of love, loss and reunion.

Production Stills (Photo: Wang Ju)

The series paints a vivid picture of the boundless steppe and the ancient Mongol people’s rugged, bold and chivalrous spirit; at the same time, it re-creates on an epic scale the cities of Chengdu and Chongqing, and the magnificent war tableaux set there. It richly and incisively portrays the conflicts between love and blood ties, humanity and reason, calling out the great theme: China belongs to all its ethnic groups; all the sons and daughters of China across the globe are one family – to stay united, not divided; to strive for peace, not war.

Launch Ceremony (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Although the story’s centre lies in Hechuan County, Sichuan, around Diaoyu Fortress, the crew was mainly drawn from Inner Mongolia Film Studio and Emei Film Studio, and there were many Inner Mongolian scenes to shoot. August is the best shooting season on the grasslands, so the production kicked off first on the Xilingol steppe.

On Set (Photo: Li Hong)

According to Mongolian custom, before any major undertaking, one should make an offering at an ovoo (sacred cairn) to ensure peace and success. Since many of the actors were ethnic Mongols and we were filming in the Inner Mongolia region – out of respect for local tradition and for good luck – it was decided that the entire crew would take part in such a ceremony.

On Location (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

On the morning of 17 August 1994, virtually all crew members except a very few who could not make it drove to an ovoo about 16 kilometres southeast of Xilinhot City. Led by older Mongolian actors, the crew held a complete ovoo worship ceremony in the traditional Mongolian manner.

Production Work (Photo: Li Hong)

Northwest of Xilinhot City stood the Great Golden Yurt of Genghis Khan, a set left behind from the film Genghis Khan directed by professor Zhan Xiangchi of the Beijing Film Academy, and by then a popular tourist attraction. Near that golden yurt we held the grand launch ceremony for the television series Broken Soul at Diaoyu Fortress. With local officials from Xilingol League in attendance, firecrackers exploded and colourful flags fluttered. As soon as the ceremony ended, shooting began on the spot.

With Huang Jianzhong and Li Baoqi on Set (Photo: Kuang Yuming)

Chief cinematographer Li Baoqi, a famed director of photography from Emei Film Studio, worked together with director Ma Longxiang. The first day’s shooting went very smoothly; they captured over twenty set-ups in just over two hours, including crane shots. That evening’s playback showed every take was usable. I assumed it would always be that smooth, but in the weeks that followed, I witnessed with my own eyes just how extremely tense and gruelling the crew’s work and life really were.

With Cooperative Cavalry Soldiers on the Grassland

On 18 August, in order to catch the sunrise, our group got up well before 4 am. Everyone but the driver was still bleary-eyed when we climbed into the jeep. The violent jolting on the grassland track finally woke me up by banging my head, and my mind sharpened instantly. We shouldered the equipment, bracing against the wind, and trudged through the pitch-black night, now and then stumbling and falling – luckily onto grass, otherwise we would have been seriously hurt.

Portrait at the Location (Photo: Wang Ju)

We set up the camera at a suitable spot and huddled together against the cold, waiting for sunrise. Yet the moment work began, the camera crew seemed as energised as if they had been given stimulants. Everything else forgotten, they fixed their gaze through the viewfinder on the edge of the prairie sky. After a long wait in the biting wind, a red ribbon of light suddenly appeared on the horizon, and everyone grew excited. As the golden-red core expanded, the sun revealed a sliver, then slowly rose from the edge of the grassland. The rosy dawn shot out in all directions; the prairie gradually grew distinct. A new day had begun.

Cavalry Battle Filming (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

In the days that followed there were fun moments but far more hardship. Inner Mongolia Film Studio actor Bason, who played leading roles in films like Heroes Returning to the East and Genghis Khan the Pride of the Heavens, portrayed Möngke. A superb horseman, his movements were dashing and elegant.

With Bason as Möngke (Photo: Li Baoqi)

Yet no one expected that during a shot he would be thrown from his galloping horse – luckily not seriously injured. It was later recalled that he was the only person who had not gone to the ovoo ceremony before the launch day. Whether superstition or coincidence, it became a much-joked-about incident in the crew.

With Actors on Set (Photo: Li Hong)

Hardships during filming were commonplace. At the Xilin River location, knee-high weeds grew thickly; some low-lying patches had been turned by years of rainwater and small tributaries into stagnant pools. Several key scenes – Bala’s assassination of Möngke and Huolicha’s heartbroken collapse – were filmed here.

Windy Skies over the Grassland (Photo: Wang Ju)

In order to catch a group of shots before sunset, director Ma Longxiang took the lead, pulled off his shoes and waded into the pool. Swarms of mosquitoes instantly covered both his legs. He slapped as he scrambled through, then without a second thought immediately called for the cameras to roll. Afterwards his legs were red and swollen for over a fortnight, only slowly cured with a lot of medicine.

Odungowa as Huolicha (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Odungowa of the Inner Mongolia Ethnic Song and Dance Troupe, who played Huolicha, had to fall forward into the pool twice as the script required, crawling on her belly through the ice-cold, foul-smelling water with tears streaming. Both boots stuck fast in the mud; she had to pull her feet out, barefoot in the water, enduring the pain while camera angles changed and she acted earnestly under the director’s guidance.

With Odungowa (Photo: Li Hong)

Everyone on set was deeply moved. Director Ma put it well: for the sake of art, you have to have some spirit of dedication. Sitting at home watching a TV drama, I used to just enjoy the pleasure; I never imagined that on set, for the sake of authenticity, actors sometimes have to pay such a tough price.

With the Actor Playing Kublai Khan (Photo: Li Hong)

The blue sky and white clouds over the steppe look like picture-perfect paintings, layered and vivid, exquisitely pleasing. Yet at times they caused trouble for shooting. This was especially tricky in close and medium-shot emotional scenes. For instance, when we filmed Möngke returning in triumph and tossing spoils to the herders, the sun kept slipping in and out of clouds, repeatedly breaking the flow of what should have been a seamless, stirring sequence.

Elevated Battlefield Shot (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

To minimise disruption to the actors’ mood, one person was assigned to monitor sky illumination while we pressed ahead with shooting in sections. Even then, some good takes were ruined when the sun suddenly vanished behind clouds, forcing reshot after reshot. Grassland weather is unpredictable, especially after rain when the temperature can plummet. And the wind is almost always present. While bearable in normal weather, a gale can be truly brutal. As it happened, the scenes of Möngke’s campaign were planned right on a rare, windy day after rain. Since we had cavalry troops coordinated for the shoot, the schedule could not change; we had to brave the elements. On the set, battle standards fluttered, hundreds of horses thundered, and soldiers in armour acted with ease – the scene was magnificent.

Wearing Costume to Keep Warm on Set (Photo: Li Hong)

But the crew members had it tough. Although men and women alike had wrapped their heads tightly with scarves or cloth until they looked like “Granny Wolf,” everyone was still shivering with cold. To keep warm, the director made an impromptu decision: the costume department handed out spare costume pieces to the crew. In a flash, “common folk” and “high officials” all made their appearance, each in a ridiculous get-up; the set was one comic spectacle.

With Juanzi Who Played Chunni (Photo: Wang Ju)

Broken Soul at Diaoyu Fortress had five or six locations around Xilingol, such as the Xilin River, the Great Golden Yurt, and the army horse farm, all scattered around Xilinhot City. Even the nearest was a dozen kilometres away, the farthest nearly fifty. Most tracks were rough grassland paths. With dispersed locations and long commutes, the crew had to leave early and return late every day – very exhausting.

Huang Jianzhong Giving Notes to an Actor (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

For the big scenes of Möngke’s campaign and triumph, the crew had to set off at six in the morning for the army horse grazing grounds fifty kilometres from town. August and September were the grazing season for army horses, so only four or five soldiers were watching the herd on the pasture while the rest of the cavalry unit was stationed in Xilinhot. The cavalry had to start two hours earlier than the crew to round up, saddle and dress the horses, don their armour and make all preparations.

With Ma Tianfang and Juanzi (Photo: Wang Ju)

By that reckoning, although the crew spent fifteen or sixteen hours out, actual shooting time, minus travel and preparation, was less than half. After careful discussion, the crew decided to focus on shooting all the outdoor scenes first, then move the yurt sets from the golden yurt location back to the guesthouse and shoot the interior scenes there. Then the workday, though still long, was a solid ten-plus hours of shooting, and progress sped up noticeably.

With Mongolian Serving Women (Photo: Li Hong)

Hardship and fatigue were, in truth, everyday fare. When heading to an outdoor location, actors had the toughest time – getting up at four in the morning to be made up, then leaving with the crew at six. Summer days are long on the grassland; sunset comes around seven in the evening, and only then would the crew wrap.

With Extras on Set (Photo: Li Hong)

By the time we got back to our accommodation it was eight or nine. After dinner some members still had to watch playback and discuss issues; the main creatives exchanged views. So everyone generally felt sleep-deprived. But to keep the schedule, you just gritted your teeth and pushed through. During the month in Xilingol, the crew shot over eighty scenes totalling more than a thousand takes, many large-scale. On set you could deeply feel the enormous charm of it all. Whether it was a blazing house fire or hundreds of cavalry charging and hundreds of extras in a mighty crowd, the sense of being right there was breathtaking and unforgettable; you could not help being awed.

Selected Stills (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

One big scene directed by Huang Jianzhong involved a great fire destroying the home of Zhang Jue. Over sixty extras took part that day, and since shooting was at night, a local fire engine was brought in for safety. The burning house was a temporary structure built onto the side of a real farmhouse. For authenticity, the pyrotechnics crew first applied protective treatments, then set ignition points on the roof and around the front, with two cameras filming.

Selected Stills (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Once everything was ready, Director Huang gave the order “Action!” and the fire roared up. In an instant, the window of the burning farmhouse was kicked open from inside, and Ma Tianfang of Beijing Film Studio, playing the lead Zhang Jue, burst out. The moment his feet touched the ground, several Song soldiers rushed up to fight him.

Selected Stills (Photo: Kuang Yuming)

At the same time, scores of common folk fled in panic before the blazing house, some pulling livestock, others tugging children, mixed together with charging Song cavalry. And among the surging crowd there were stunt performers in fireproof suits, their bodies aflame, writhing in agony. The whole scene was heart-stopping.

In Front of a War Chariot (Photo: Lin Zi)

Yet under Director Huang’s meticulous choreography, the entire dangerous sequence was captured in one continuous, smooth take. After shooting wrapped, we saw that not only had the fire engine not sprayed a single drop of water, but amid all the screaming men, neighing horses and apparent chaos, not a single injury had occurred. Still, I was on tenterhooks throughout, afraid that an accident might happen.

Möngke Galloping Across the Grassland (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Mongolians are famed for their singing, dancing and hospitality. During lulls in shooting I got to experience that firsthand. Once the local government hosted a banquet for the crew. During the meal, delightful Mongolian songs and dances never stopped. The warm hosts toasted each crew member in turn. Whether you drank or not, a small copper bowl brimming with the local baijiu known as “Grassland White” was presented right in front of you.

Actors on Location (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Two Mongolian girls stood beside the host and repeatedly sang a Drinking Song to the guest. They would not stop until you downed the liquor, at which point they would drape a snow-white hada (ceremonial scarf) around your neck before moving on to the next guest. The scene touched everyone deeply.

On Location (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Though the cast and crew were made up of Mongolians and Han Chinese, throughout the shoot everyone cooperated and bonded like family, forging deep friendships. Whenever anyone felt unwell, their room would always fill with crew members coming to visit.

Selected Stills (Photo: Kuang Yuming)

Because of the drama’s grand scale, tens of thousands of costumes and props were needed. To save the limited budget while meeting quality standards, the costume and prop departments racked their brains – renting, improvising, or using substitutes. The over one thousand set-ups filmed over more than a month in Inner Mongolia accounted for only one-sixth of the entire drama. Another five thousand-plus shots would later be filmed at Jinyun Mountain in Chongqing and at the ancient battlefield of Diaoyu Fortress in Hechuan. Due to my work responsibilities, after the company moved I only went once more to the Diaoyu Fortress location and did not stay with the crew all the way to the end.

Selected Stills (Photo: Kuang Yuming)

Fortunately, during post-production I watched all the rushes and was profoundly moved by this weighty, majestic historical epic. I felt it was another quite successful television series dealing with national historial themes. And beyond that, the month-long life on location, with all its hardships and joys, had given me a rare and richly colourful life experience.

Waving the Battle Flag (Photo: Lin Zi)

As chance would have it, after Broken Soul at Diaoyu Fortress, I once again found myself travelling from Hohhot to Xilinhot for a half-month shoot, this time for the large-scale documentary Chinese Ethnic Sports.

Documentary Crew Portrait

On the evening of 9 July 1997, I boarded the No. 89 train from Beijing together with Beijing TV director Pan Chun, Xinhua News Agency senior reporter and renowned photographer Luo Gengqian, and others. Our destination was Hohhot. The Mongolian episode we were to shoot was both the very first ethnic group covered in the Chinese Ethnic Sports series and, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on 21 July that year, the trip was clearly of great significance.

With Mongolian Friends (Photo: Pan Chun)

We arrived in Hohhot early on 10 July, spent only a couple of hours there, then chartered a Mazda minibus and set off for Xilingol League. Who could have guessed that around 18:30 that evening our vehicle would break down in the middle of nowhere. Desperate, we tried to flag down passing vehicles. Most just zoomed past, but hard work paid off – eventually a car from the East Ujimqin Banner Procuratorate stopped. The driver, Gereltu, was a warm-hearted man. After hearing our story he immediately welcomed us aboard and took us to a hotel in East Ujimqin Banner.

With Female Bökh Wrestlers (Photo: Pan Chun)

That evening Gereltu also brought along his chief prosecutor, the head of the bureau and local broadcasting officials. As we chatted, we unexpectedly learned of a precious opportunity: a herdsman living 15 kilometres away was about to hold a hair-cutting ceremony for his five-year-old child. The procuratorate staff told us that although it was a small ritual, it would gather many local herders. The celebration would include traditional Mongolian sports such as bökh wrestling, horse racing and board games.

With Male Bökh Wrestlers (Photo: Pan Chun)

This was truly a godsend. With the strong support of the East Ujimqin Procuratorate and broadcasting bureau, early on 11 July we rode in a procuratorate vehicle straight to the grassland to join the festivities. Sure enough, it was incredibly lively. Several hundred herders had gathered, and over seventy Mongolian children performed horse races; at the same time, more than a hundred pairs of bökh wrestlers stepped into the arena, including the youngest participants at only five or six years old. We shot a wealth of material. The experience was a blessing in disguise.

En Route to Xilingol (Photo: Luo Gengqian)

On 12 July, after our little misadventure in Inner Mongolia, we continued the journey in the now-repaired vehicle, arriving that evening in Xilinhot City, where we checked into White Horse Hotel. After that, we spent days around Xilingol shooting extensive footage before heading back to Hohhot.

Shooting at a Xilingol Location (Photo: Luo Gengqian)

Back in Hohhot, we worked at full stretch for five more days. To get the footage we needed, the crew rose early and stayed out late, sometimes getting up at four in the morning and setting off at dawn.

Shooting on the Xilingol Grasslands (Photo: Luo Gengqian)

We filmed the parade cavalry and bökh wrestlers training for Inner Mongolia’s 50th anniversary celebrations, and also captured the dress rehearsal of the Naadam Festival.

Portrait at the Naadam Festival (Photo: Luo Gengqian)

On 21 July 1997 we took part in the spectacular Naadam Festival marking the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The venue in Hohhot – one of Asia’s largest horse-racing tracks – was splendidly refurbished. Bedecked in festive colours, flowerbeds bloomed and colourful flags waved. Outstanding sportsmen and women from every ethnic group across the autonomous region gathered here to compete, celebrating the 50th anniversary with Mongolia’s traditional sporting forms.

At the Commemoration Site (Photo: Luo Gengqian)

The word “Naadam” means entertainment or games in Mongolian. In the hearts of the Mongolian people it is ancient and sacred, a living “museum of Mongolian culture” with a long history. The earliest record of Naadam is the Genghis Khan inscription carved on a cliff in 1225 in Uighur Mongol script. During the Yuan and Ming dynasties, archery, horse racing and wrestling contests were combined, forming the men’s “Three Manly Skills” and laying down the fixed form of the Naadam festival. By the Qing dynasty, Naadam had evolved into an organised, purposeful recreational event convened regularly by officials, its scale, form and content all growing.

Television Crew on Site

That day, two major events – the 50th anniversary celebration and the Naadam festival – were charged with jubilant, lively atmosphere. Flowers and smiling faces shone together; floats representing all walks of life shimmered in radiant colours, demonstrating the great achievements of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region over half a century. A large-scale cultural performance entitled “A United, Progressive Inner Mongolia” pushed the atmosphere to its climax.

The Cavalry Parade (Photo: Luo Gengqian)

When the sea of multi-coloured flags surged into the arena, the roar of applause was deafening. As each ethnic sport demonstration unfolded, we scurried around frantically, wishing we could capture every splendid scene with our lenses. Xinhua photographer Luo Gengqian’s telephoto lens captured many excellent split-second moments.

With Pan Chun at the Festival (Photo: Luo Gengqian)

It can be said that this two-week filming trip from Hohhot to Xilinhot brought the Mongolian chapter of our Chinese Ethnic Sports documentary to a perfect start. The great opening gave us full confidence and expectation as we looked ahead to the crew’s next shoot in Tibet that August. (Text and photos: Feng Ganyong)