The Mountain-worship and Horse race Festival was held as scheduled in the Niru village of Shangri-La City on October 13, which is also the 15th day of the ninth month according to the traditional Tibetan calendar this year.

On that day, local Tibetans dressed them up in traditional ethnic costumes and got together at the foot of the Shengge holy mountain for the annual festivities.

The festival is highlighted by four activities: collective light-up of aromatic plants, horse races, group banquets, and the Guozhuang dance. Each activity has its own meaning.

Collective light-up of aromatic plants and horse races are mostly performed by men, while Tibetan women prepare for a picnic, with their kids playing about merrily.

After the picnic, all folks join in a Guozhuang group dance, praying for peace, harmony, good weather and bumper harvest.

The festival is said to be related with worshipping in mountains, animals and heroes, with its core value being harmonious co-existence between nature and man.

Source: xgll.com.cn; trans-editing by Wang Shixue