A GALLOP ACROSS THE PLATEAU

On the vast grasslands of northern Xizang, the arrival of summer brings a familiar spectacle: the thunder of hooves, the flutter of colorful costumes and the cheers of crowds gathered beneath the highland sky.

In Nagchu, this centuries-old summer tradition came alive again on Monday as the 2026 Qiaqing Horse Racing Festival opened at Gesar Racecourse, bringing together riders, performers, herders and visitors for a celebration where equestrian sport and Tibetan culture meet.

Qiaqing is Tibetan transliteration referring to a horse race, or a routine gathering in the rainy season.

This year's competition features 13 professional speed events and two traditional equestrian performances. New infrared intelligent induction timing devices were installed at the track finish line to ensure accurate results.

The festival's cultural program included the Art Troupe Tour Competition, the Layi Folk Love Song Contest, the Polar Nagchu Grassland Concert, the King Gesar Epic Recitation and a group Guozhuang dance performance.

High-quality yaks, sheep and goats from across the region also took part in the third "fine livestock breed competition". More than 50 activities were held throughout the festival, including a premium Cordyceps sinensis (caterpillar fungus) auction and a food culture festival, which featured an international food exchange zone for the first time.

The horse racing festival has been held on the northern Xizang grasslands for more than 1,000 years and is deeply rooted in the cultural tradition of "becoming king through horse racing", associated with the epic of King Gesar.

In ancient times, when the grasslands were lush and water was plentiful, herders would gather by tribe to race horses and sing songs, expressing gratitude for nature's bounty. This tradition is known as "Yaji", a Tibetan term meaning "the joy of summer".

The event was officially named and standardized in 1993. In 2021, the "Qiaqing Horse Racing Gathering" of Nagchu city was inscribed on the Representative List of China's National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Today, the event has evolved from a single traditional competitive activity into a comprehensive grand event integrating sports competitions, artistic performances, tourism promotion, product exhibitions and industry cooperation.