The unique and mysterious Litang Tibetan opera, the passionate Ganzi tap, the beautiful and lyrical Batang Xianzi and a spectacular horse racing performance……On July 29, 2020 Sichuan Ganzi Mountain Tourism Festival started in Litang County, where local residents presented a cultural and tourism feast infused with ethnic customs for tourists from all over the world.

Song and Tibetan dance performances with

The Maoya Grassland, which is more than 4,000 meters above sea level, is witnessing a spectacle of singing and dancing. Curtains have come down on a song and dance performance with Tibetan characteristics. Thousands of horses, under the control of Kangba men, are galloping and neighing across the grassland. Atop the horse, the nimble Kangba men perform a variety of maneuvers — bending down, tilting back, hanging upside down and standing upright. Their blazing speed, powerful strength and superb riding skills leave audiences awestruck.

Kangba men riding horses

“The highlights of the event are horse racing, song and dance performances, beautiful artistes and scenic outdoors. During the opening ceremony, five horse racing events were arranged — one can see horses galloping every day and daily horse races,” said Litang County Party Secretary Geleduoji.

Wonderful riding performance

Litang County is located in the eastern part of the Qinghai Tibet Plateau, with an altitude of about 4,000 meters, therefore it is known as the "city of the sky". In the early summer, Litang’s sky features towering snow-capped mountains looking up to an ocean-blue sky. Yaks dot the landscape, providing a picture perfect beauty to the plateau.

Litang -- the eye of Genei (Photo by Zerenwangdui)

Ganzi Prefecture covers an area of 153 thousand square kilometers and covers 97.1% of natural grassland and forest. It has world-class tourism resources such as Hailuogou, Danba Tibetan Village, Dege Printing Institute, Daocheng Yading and others. It is an area which boasts of abundant mountain tourism and is a hub of multi-ethnic culture in China and across the world.(By Edina Liang)