Traditional Sports
In ancient times, Mongolian traditional sports derived from their needs for survival on the one hand. Low productivity and desires for survival and development made Mongolians struggle to learn such skills as walking fast, jumping high and throwing far and accurately.These basic skills marked the starting point of this group’s traditional sports. And then,hunters must be proficient at skills ofarchery and should practice throwing stones precisely and far in order to strike preys accurately, which later gradually evolved into the present sports activities concerning archery and throwing. In the process of later development,Mongolian traditional sports with a long history are closely linked with their labors,customs as well as habits. These sports symbolize the wisdom of Mongolian people in different periods for achieving goals of survival and production.
Religion, on the other hand, plays a considerably essential role in the traditional Mongolian life, bearing a complex series of parts and posing a profound impact on this group. Mongolian people, indeed, have strong religious zeal, in which worshiping nature, ancestors and various gods and believing in Lamaism[13] are stressed. In the ancient Mongolian society, the productivity and scientific knowledge were so poor that people had little understanding ofor no control over nature. What confused, frightened and hallucinated them even later resulted in a fact that Mongolian people can only believe “animism” and consider a multitude ofliving and inanimate things in nature as one kind oflife form having thoughts and desires like human beings. Mongolian people created the concept oftheir own deities, expecting deities to grant them hope and power. Mongolian sports were originally held as sacrificial ceremonies and activities of praying for gods and ancestors since belief and worship should be expressed by the events in real life.
The traditional sports of Mongolians in Yunnan almost stem from that of the same group in the north of China. Nevertheless, there is only one inhabited area for Mongolian people in Yunnan, which limits the size oftheir population, so that most oftheir traditional sports have been lost in the long-term historical river, but simultaneously some are left and featured with local color.
(1) Wrestling
Wrestling is an indispensable traditional sport of Mongolian people in Yunnan. The rules ofYunnan Mongolian wrestling is: regardless of participants’ weight, time or size of the game field, the winner will be decided through one round ofthe game. The movements including lifting, pulling and pushing can be employed, and players can also grasp each other’s shoulders and waist. But holding your opponent’s legs, hitting the competitor’s chin or kneeing the other player in the groin are not allowed. You can be the winner ifyou throw the other one to the ground, no matter which part ofhis body is touched. You, as the winner,are supposed to ask the loser “give up or go on?” the defeated one should reply “give up,I lost it” three times for showing that he is convinced of his defeat. At last, the victor shall bends down to help the failed one up, demonstrating his humility and friendliness.
(2) Dancing with the Mongolian tunes
Mongolian people in Yunnan are enthusiastic and good at singing and dancing. Usually,the popular recreational activity of young men and women is dancing with the Mongolian tunes. This activity is often held on some hillsides and the village square. Two young men, at first, play a four-string bowed instrument shaped as a dragon head to bring fairsounding music to the dancing. All of the rest of the participants gather behind the two players, forming two lines or a circle to dance. These dancers either give each other highfives or tap rhythm of the music with their feet when dancing, they sometimes sing songs together, the whole process is filled with much vigour. Songs in the dancing are impromptu and partly have tunes that are similar to ancient songs of Mongolians in the north area of China. Usually, a leading singer sings songs firstly and at the end ofthe dancing comes out antiphonal singing ofmen and women. Dancing with the Mongolian tunes is characterized by recreation and exercise and symbolizes their solidarity and friendship.
(3) Archery
Archery is called “suriharibuna” in the Mongolian language. Archers enjoy a high reputation on the grassland. Historically, most of the Mongolians have experienced nomadic and hunting life, owning to which bows and arrows have now become indispensable weapons in their life. Those who are excellent in archery can win respect from others for a long time.Furthermore, archery on horseback also becomes an important Mongolian competition.Archery is a necessary game in Naadam[14], a traditional festival for Mongolians. The targets used in this game include two types: fixed ones and running ones. Archery competition is firstly held in one village, after which the team members are selected to participate in the higher-level competition between villages. Women are also permitted to participate in archery training and competitions. Incidentally, a kind of ancient bow is used for shooting the arrows by the Mongolians in Yunnan, and the arrows can make a rustling sound when being shot.