Photo shows the opening ceremony of 2020 Nagqu Changtang Qiaqing Gesar Horse Racing Festival.

Photo shows the opening ceremony of 2020 Nagqu Changtang Qiaqing Gesar Horse Racing Festival.

Photo shows riders competing at horse racing festival.  

Themed "getting rid of poverty and embracing a moderately prosperous society", the opening ceremony of 2020 Nagqu Changtang Qiaqing Gesar Horse Racing Festival was held in Nagqu City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, on Aug. 10. This festival lasted for four and a half days. There were various programs like art performance, traditional horse racing events, traditional sport games and tourist promotion.

With a pre-show performance of "I love Changtang", the opening ceremony consisted of three parts, "world treasure----horse", "intangible cultural heritage inheritance, embracing a moderately prosperous society" and "forging ahead for a bright future". Boasting large scales and unique local culture, those art performances showed the confidence of 530,000 people living in Northern Tibet----making efforts to build a moderately prosperous society and revitalize Nagqu. 

A total of 1,144 actors took part in the opening ceremony. In addition, 260 horses, 100 yaks and 200 sheep also played on the show, presenting the unique culture of Changtang grassland in Northern Tibet. 

This horse racing festival is a grand event on the grassland at the end of 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020). The year of 2020 also is crucial in winning the anti-poverty battle and building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. This festival combined economy, culture, tourism and folk customs, presenting the unique culture of Changtang grassland in Northern Tibet.