Otog Front Banner Farmers and Herdsmen’s Volleyball League Kicks Off

On September 3, the Otog Front Banner Farmers and Herdsmen's Volleyball League, themed "Harmony for Shared Prosperity: Village Volleyball Beats the Drum," kicked off with great enthusiasm at Maogaitu Community, Angsu Town.

Event Venue

As the upbeat tune of the square-dance hit The Most Dazzling Ethnic Style filled the air, the tournament got underway. Participating teams marched onto the court in neat uniforms and high spirits. Representatives of the athletes and referees then took solemn oaths.

Dance Performance

Yang Changqing, Deputy Secretary of the Otog Front Banner Party Committee and Acting Banner Chief, attended the opening ceremony and declared the farmers and herdsmen's volleyball league officially open. At the ceremony, Zhao Ruirui, a former champion of China's women's national volleyball team, presented a commemorative painting themed on Grassland-Village Volleyball to Angsu Town. She also handed out commemorative volleyballs to youth representatives and encouraged local young people on the grasslands to carry forward the village-volleyball spirit of perseverance, determination, unity and teamwork.

Inspired by her words, the friendly match got underway. The Grassland-Village Volleyball Hope Team, made up of primary and secondary school students from Otog Front Banner, went head-to-head with the Grassland-Village Volleyball Heritage Team, consisting of local farmers and herdsmen. On the court, players from both sides displayed great energy and solid teamwork, reflecting the upbeat and competitive spirit of the local community.

Match Scene

Match Scene

At the special cultural and creative exhibition area, visitors could see a rich array of souvenirs featuring Grassland-Village Volleyball elements, along with intangible cultural heritage handicrafts. The aroma of local delicacies filled the air. While watching the games, visitors could sample local food and explore the creative offerings, enjoying a well-rounded experience of the charm of rural cultural and sporting activities.

Art Performance

Art Performance

The league will run through September 20, bringing together 49 teams from 28 Gacha villages and communities across Otog Front Banner for fierce competition. As the birthplace of Grassland-Village Volleyball, Otog Front Banner has been advancing rural revitalization by leveraging sports to drive development, culture to foster community spirit, and industry to boost local growth. It promotes the in-depth integration of rural sports events with the "Four-Season Village Gala," a public cultural program, creating a new path to rural revitalization by using sports competitions to boost tourism, stimulate local industries, strengthen rural communities and increase local incomes. The initiative has greatly enriched residents' cultural lives and promoted exchanges, interactions and integration among all ethnic groups. (Text/Photos by Yan Li, Nei Rige, and Wu Tingwei)