The Fourth Hasar Cultural Festival will open in Darhan Muminggan Joint Banner, Baotou, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, on Aug 29, Baotou Daily reported on Aug 26.

This year’s festival will include sacrificial offering ceremonies, cultural performances, and competitions. These will mainly focus on the "three manly skills": horsemanship, archery and “Bukh”, which refers to a local type of wrestling.

Habutu Hasar was one of Genghis Khan's three brothers. Hasar means someone who is a skilled archer, as indeed he was. He was also known as Jo'chi Qasar.

Hasar formed the Left Wing of the Mongol Empire on the eastern edge of Inner Mongolia with the other two brothers of Genghis Khan and is considered one of the greatest politicians and strategists in Mongolian history.

The 27th day of the seventh lunar month marks the anniversary of Hasar’s death. The sacrificial offering ceremony is an indispensable part of the cultural festival and is a way for those of Mongolian origin to worship their ancestor and hero. The ceremony was listed as an important part of the cultural heritage of Inner Mongolia in 2007.

Sacrificial offering ceremony to Hasar [Photo/bt.wenming.cn]

File photo shows the sacrificial offering ceremony to Hasar at the Hasar Cultural Festival. [Photo/sina.com.cn]

Darhan Muminggan Joint Banner, located in the west-central area of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, is under the administration of Baotou. It is home to a Hasar Memorial Hall and was given the title of the “hometown of the Hasar sacrificial culture” in 2013. Much effort has been put into preserving the heritage of the area and promoting the sacrificial offering ceremonies and rites. The banner has hosted the Hasar cultural festival for three consecutive years.

Hasar Memorial Hall in Darhan Muminggan Joint Banner, Baotou, Inner Mongolia autonomous region [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]