Herders in N China's Inner Mongolia compete in traditional sports on frozen lake

On Wednesday, herders in Ar Horqin Banner, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, competed in a traditional sport, Ariga, on a frozen lake.　

On a playing field about 100 meters long and 25 meters wide, a player twisted and flicked the Ariga with his thumb and forefinger to make it rotate rapidly and glide forward, and when it stopped, this Ariga became the target. The other players aimed at this target, and the winner was the one who hit it.　

"Ariga" originates from the Mongolian word for the ankle bone of an animal such as a cow, sheep or camel. This traditional sport was added to the intangible cultural heritage list of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in 2007.

(Reported by Ao Lan, Shi Zilong, Jin Zhu; Edited by Liu Yinghan)