Against a backdrop of lush mountain peaks, Hunan’s 11th Traditional Ethnic Minority Games opened at the Helong Sports Center in Zhangjiajie on October 20. Huaihua has sent 660 athletes from its various ethnic communities to attend all competitive events, as well as demonstration events showcasing traditional ethnic sports and culture.

The Games was jointly organized by the Hunan Provincial Ethnic and Religious Affairs Commission and the Hunan Provincial Sports Bureau, and hosted by the Zhangjiajie Municipal People’s Government. It has the theme of ‘Pomegranate Red Across Hunan, Chasing Dreams in Zhangjiajie.’ More than 3,500 athletes from different ethnic groups have gathered from the Wuling region. They represent 31 delegations from Hunan’s 14 cities and prefectures and 17 counties, county-level cities and districts designated for ethnic minorities. The Games celebrate solidarity and sporting achievement while highlighting the progress made in strengthening interaction, exchange and integration among the province’s ethnic communities.

Home to many ethnic communities, Huaihua has developed distinctive cultures with deep historical roots and a wealth of traditional sports. The city has been recognized nationally as a model for ethnic unity and progress.

Huaihua’s delegation brings together leading athletes from ethnic communities across its counties, county-level cities and districts, selected through successive rounds of competition at the city’s seventh Traditional Ethnic Minority Games. They will compete in every event category, including stilt racing, team wooden-shoe racing, crossbow shooting, swinging, top spinning, cuqiu (a traditional ball-kicking game), yajia (Tibetan tug-of-war), shuttlecock kicking, ethnic aerobics and dragon boat racing. The delegation has also prepared distinctive routines for the demonstration events. Ahead of the provincial Games, all team members underwent a structured, intensive training program to refine their techniques, improve coordination and build competitive resilience, aiming to arrive in peak condition and high spirits.

At the opening ceremony, delegations from across the province entered the stadium in succession to the stirring strains of the Athletes’ March. Huaihua’s Group B team and the Group A teams from its five ethnic autonomous counties—Mayang, Zhijiang, Jingzhou, Xinhuang and Tongdao—made their entrances in turn. With confident smiles and an upright, spirited bearing, the athletes embodied the close bonds, mutual support, shared purpose and competitive drive of Huaihua’s ethnic communities.

During the parade’s performance segment, Huaihua presented its original production, ‘Mountain Village Earth-Ramming Contest.’ Drawing on local Dong and Miao traditions, the piece recreated scenes of daily life in remote Dong villages, where earlier generations worked together to ram earth and build their settlements. Flowing dance movements and strong, synchronized gestures conveyed a spirit of cooperation, hard work and shared determination. Teams from Mayang, Zhijiang, Jingzhou, Xinhuang and Tongdao followed with their own performances. Rich in local folk traditions and delivered with compelling stage presence, the routines drew repeated rounds of enthusiastic applause.

Alongside sporting competition, the Games provide an opportunity for people from different ethnic communities to meet, exchange experiences and strengthen their ties. Over the next four days, Huaihua’s athletes will bring their enthusiasm and skills to events ranging from stilt and team wooden-shoe racing to crossbow shooting and dragon boat racing. Through their performances and sportsmanship, they aim to share Huaihua’s story of ethnic unity and progress both on and off the field, further strengthening the city’s standing as a nationally recognized model in this area.

(Translated by Feng Tao)