On home ground

"When we woke up the next morning, the tires were already fixed. Later, we realized that the herdsman drove to a vehicle repair shop by driving his truck during the night. The shop was about 400 kilometers away from us," says Khuslen. "We were very touched and grateful. We promised to come back and perform for them again."

"Some senior people call us Ulan Muqir because they've watched performances by Ulan Muqir when they were young. It's an honor," says Li. Ulan Muqir means "red bud" in Mongolian, and is a collection of art troupes. They travel from one place to another performing for herders who live in some of China's most remote areas. Usually the performances feature singers, dancers and instrumentalists, as well as actors and actresses playing short skits, which are about local heroes either adapted from folklore or based on real stories.