Mongol-style school opening day stuns netizens
By Zhao Xiao (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2017-03-05
As the new semester begins, some young pupils in Inner Mongolia chose to ride their horses to school, which stunned many netizens and even other people from Inner Mongolia.
A group of young pupils accompanied by parents rode horses for the first school day in Xilinhot, Xilin Gol League, and in Ulanqab.
Young students also presented blue hada, a piece of silk used as a greeting gift, to their school teachers as a way of showing respect.
For decades, people have believed Inner Mongolian natives are born to ride horses; however, this isn't always practical, nor is it the norm.
Inner Mongolian natives have been exhausted to explain not all locals ride horses for transport, and actually only some Mongolian ethnic group living on the grasslands even have horses.
As these horse-riding pictures spread online, many Inner Mongolians heaved sighs for year-after-year explanations abruptly turning nonsense.
One Weibo user commented that "I have spent half a lifetime telling people in other provinces that we Inner Mongolians indeed don't ride horses to school, while this piece of news punches me with a big disgrace."
A Weibo username "Your phone screen has a strand of hair" commented that "People firmly believe that every family in Inner Mongolia raises horses, just like Sichuan person has their own giant panda."
One joked "I guess the National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao) in Inner Mongolia tests students'skills in horse riding and archery, seriously?"
Some netizens thought it's a "green transport method" for environmental protection, and encouraged the young generation to embrace traditional customs.
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A boy rides a horse to his school on the first day of the semester in Xilinhot on March 1. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] |
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| A young pupil rides a horse to his school in Xilinhot on March 1. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] |
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Young pupils present blue hadas to their school teachers on March 1. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] |
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