A stage for promoting culture and a grand event of ethnic unity - written on the occasion of the opening of the 12th National Traditional Minority Sports Games
2024-11-22
In winter, Sanya boasts swaying coconut trees, pristine beaches, and gentle waves... The 12th National Ethnic Traditional Sports Games will open here on the 22nd, providing a shining stage for showcasing and promoting ethnic culture. Nearly 10000 athletes and guests from 56 ethnic groups across the country will gather on the coast of the South China Sea to participate in the grand event. This sports meet is the first national traditional sports meet for ethnic minorities held after the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, and it is also the highest standard and largest comprehensive sports event held in Hainan Province since its establishment. The sports meet includes 18 competition events and three types of performance events: competitive, technical, and comprehensive. Traditional sports such as pearl ball, ethnic wrestling, and fireworks will all be showcased, showcasing the traditional customs of various ethnic groups, promoting the spirit of Chinese sports, and enhancing Chinese cultural identity. This is not only a sports event, but also a national and cultural feast. During the Games, a national celebration will be held, bringing together the cultural essence and unique customs of 56 ethnic groups to present a colorful, harmonious and dynamic Chinese family. Compared with the National Games, the traditional sports games of ethnic minorities in China have relatively weakened their competitiveness. Athletes mainly showcase their national culture on the field, and more importantly, share the joy of sports compared to competition results. As the oldest national comprehensive sports event in the history of New China, the National Ethnic Traditional Sports Games evolved from the National Ethnic Form Sports Performance and Competition Conference held in Tianjin in 1953. For 71 years, this competition has become an important platform to showcase the charm of ethnic minorities and promote exchanges, communication, and integration among compatriots of all ethnic groups, making great contributions to promoting national fitness and inheriting traditional ethnic culture. Traditional sports of ethnic minorities are nurtured and developed by various ethnic groups through long-term production, life, and social practice. They have strong ethnic and regional characteristics and are closely related to various ethnic cultures. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, traditional sports, known as the "living fossil" of national culture, were valued and protected. Among the thousands of traditional sports projects excavated and organized nationwide, more than 700 came from ethnic minorities. At the National Minority Traditional Sports Games, ethnic traditional culture has been inherited and promoted. With the rapid development of the social economy, some traditional production and lifestyle have changed, and the continued hosting of sports events has allowed many traditional ethnic sports with high competitiveness, entertainment value, and fun to be preserved and developed. The combination of traditional ethnic production and lifestyle with modern sports provides another possibility for promoting traditional culture. In ancient times, pearl divers in Northeast China aimed to improve efficiency by directly throwing the collected clams into baskets on boats in the water. This labor method was the prototype of pearl ball sports. Pearl ball sports have the characteristics of simple venue, equipment, and popular game format; Although it was once lost, after excavation and organization, people combined clam picking with basketball rules to create the pearl ball sport that combines fun and entertainment. It was listed as an official competition event at the 4th National Ethnic Traditional Sports Games in 1991. Using both hands and feet, climbing upwards, in just a few seconds, you can touch the timing bell at the top of the coconut tree... The newly added special event of this year's sports meet, "Coconut Climbing Race," has received special attention. This project originates from the living and working scenes of local people climbing trees and picking coconuts in Hainan. It is both fun and competitive, with distinct regional and ethnic characteristics of Hainan. The coconut climbing racing project focuses on testing athletes' climbing skills, physical endurance, and core strength, constantly striving for progress with an upward climbing posture, demonstrating the spirit of striving for excellence and persevering Yang Yuting, Deputy Director of Sanya Tourism and Culture Bureau and Executive Deputy Commander of Competition Command Center, said. Unique traditional ethnic sports are full of wisdom and fun in daily life. The master of "solo bamboo float" can dance gracefully on the water surface with just a slender bamboo pole; The competition equipment for "high foot racing" originated from the tools used by the Tu and Miao ethnic groups for commuting or crossing shallow rivers during the rainy season. On the field, athletes hold one pole in each hand and run "on the same hand and foot", performing "speed and passion"; Ethnic fitness exercises integrate multi-ethnic dance movements, combining the softness of ethnic dance with the strength of fitness exercises, achieving a perfect fusion of traditional ethnic culture and modern fitness sports. In order to promote traditional culture and meet the needs of this year's sports meet, the Cultural Propaganda Department of the National Ethnic Affairs Commission and the Mass Sports Department of the General Administration of Sport of China have compiled the rules and referee laws of the competition and performance events into a book for the majority of ethnic minority traditional sports enthusiasts, participants, and practitioners to learn and use. The revitalization of national culture is an important force for the survival and development of a nation. Competition drives progress, and communication nurtures creativity. The sports meet not only revitalizes traditional ethnic sports culture, but also provides an important platform for cultural exchange and mutual learning among different ethnic groups. The performance events of this sports meet have distinct regional differences and ethnic characteristics. The majestic snow capped mountains and vast grasslands, as well as the horse racing events of the sports meet, were held in Zhaosu County, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in July this year. Among them, "Girl Chase" left a deep impression as a performance project. Girl chasing "was originally a way of dating for young men and women in the Kazakh ethnic group, where a girl rides a horse to catch up with her beloved young man and gently beats him with a whip to express her love. Nowadays, in the mutual learning and integration of various ethnic cultures, "chasing girls" has become a fun and entertaining mass sports activity, constantly inheriting and developing. In the horse riding skills performance that the Inner Mongolia delegation excels in, the riders ride their horses like dragons, either at lightning speed or light and graceful, displaying various difficult movements that attract waves of astonishment from the audience. Coach Liu Hongqin of the Inner Mongolia delegation introduced, "Each ethnic group has its own characteristics and brings different projects. Mutual learning and exchange are the purpose. Through observation and learning, we can further improve our skills and choreography abilities." From the northern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains to the coast of the South China Sea, from the boundless green grasslands to the tropical rainforest national park, we exchange summers and share winters. The grand event is approaching, and Sanya, this beautiful coastal city, is already immersed in a joyful atmosphere of the competition. Through activities such as introducing ethnic culture into campuses, communities, and scenic areas, Sanya has continuously popularized traditional ethnic sports and increased public participation. Various primary and secondary schools in Sanya have offered courses on traditional ethnic sports, allowing students to experience the charm of traditional ethnic sports. The school has launched traditional ethnic sports such as shooting crossbows, spinning tops, and climbing coconut trees, "said the person in charge of Sanya Ethnic Middle School. The school will actively promote traditional ethnic sports and carry them forward. Under the promotion of the sports meet, the "specialties" that were originally limited to one ethnic group or region have gradually become the common wealth of all ethnic groups. Firecrackers and Loong Boat in the south are becoming more and more popular in the north; The pearl ball, beloved by the Manchu people in Northeast China, has also taken root among the ethnic minorities in Southwest China. The tiny blending reflects the cultural integration of you and me, and me and you. We have a total of 14 participating team members, consisting of athletes from multiple ethnic groups such as Han, Li, Zhuang, and Uyghur, with an average age of around 23 years old. At present, the enthusiasm of the whole team is high, and we look forward to welcoming the grand event with compatriots from all ethnic groups and showcasing a good spirit Coach Lin Shengwei of Hainan Women's Pearl Team said. As the opening of the sports meet approaches, all preparations are ready. The opening ceremony will be held on November 22 at the Sanya Sports Center Stadium, and the National Celebration will be held on November 26 at Tianya Haijiao in Sanya. At that time, the exciting and diverse programs, rich and colorful activities, rich and charming exhibitions, and unique customs will deeply unite the solidarity and friendship of various ethnic groups from all over the world. For the audience, whether it is intense competition or beautiful performance, they will feast their eyes, feel a different national charm, and experience the "beauty and sharing" of cultural exchange. Let us look forward to witnessing the touching stories of harmonious coexistence and joint progress among all ethnic groups at this grand event, and feel the magnificent power inspired by ethnic unity. The Chinese nation, as a family, has its own history, which is a history of the integration and convergence of various ethnic groups into a diverse and integrated Chinese nation. The big family of the Chinese nation is connected by blood and shares a common destiny. All ethnic groups are tightly held together like pomegranate seeds. In the new era, the children of all ethnic groups, who share the same heart, love, ambition and strength, are striding on the road to promote Chinese path to modernization. In September of this year, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out at the National Commendation Conference for National Unity and Progress that the cultural exchange among different ethnic groups is the cultural gene that has shaped the diverse and integrated civilization pattern of the Chinese nation. The mutual learning and integration of various ethnic cultures, as well as their inclusiveness, have gradually surpassed regional and local customs, blood ties, and religious beliefs, and converged to form a strong cohesive and attractive Chinese culture, forming a pattern of diverse and integrated Chinese civilization. The great achievements made in the cause of national unity and progress in the 75 years since the founding of the People's Republic of China have proven that the formation and development of the Chinese national community is a historical inevitability. In the big family of the Chinese nation, we are writing history together, coexisting in integration, developing in openness, and creating a happy and beautiful life in the hands of people of all ethnic groups in the new era. The 12th National Ethnic Traditional Sports Games will showcase a microcosm of the beautiful and happy lives of all ethnic groups. The Yunnan delegation brought 7 performance projects to further showcase the united style of "the brilliance of the Party shining on the border, and the hearts of the border people towards the Party". Especially in projects such as "Mushroom Harvest Competition," "Drum Language Joyful," "Pomelo Fragrance," and "Racing Colorful Ponds," the arrangement incorporates regional elements, cultural values, and the atmosphere of production and life, vividly showcasing the happy lives of people of all ethnic groups in border ethnic areas. This is a grand event of mass sports. Traditional sports of ethnic minorities have a broad mass base. By participating in these sports projects with ethnic characteristics, people can feel the joy of sports and stimulate their love and enthusiasm for participation in sports. The Inner Mongolia delegation will bring a performance project called "Zhanshu", which is an ancient competitive game project passed down from the Ewenki ethnic group and has also been accepted by the Mongolian, Daur, Oroqen and other ethnic groups. It has become a cultural and folk custom shared by all ethnic groups. This is a grand event of national unity. Brothers and sisters of all ethnic groups gathered in Sanya to display colorful ethnic cultures in an atmosphere of learning together, enjoying together, and being active. They shared stories with each other in a happy atmosphere, enhanced mutual understanding and friendship, promoted national unity, and further enhanced cultural identity and cultural self-confidence. Smiling faces, greetings, and blessings... In this sports meeting, guests from all ethnic groups will deeply appreciate the profoundness of Chinese culture, deeply appreciate the strong atmosphere of national unity, and deeply feel that the Chinese nation is a united and diverse family. Hainan was born and prospered due to the reform and opening up. Currently, the construction of Hainan Free Trade Port is taking shape and becoming a highland for China's opening up and a hot spot for investment and development. This sports meet will showcase the achievements of Hainan Free Trade Port construction to people of all ethnic groups, allowing them to experience firsthand the comprehensive deepening of reform and opening up in Hainan and the construction of free trade with Chinese characteristics
Edit：He Chuanning Responsible editor：Su Suiyue
Source：Xinhua
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