Mongolian Boke
01 · Historical Records
In competition, wrestlers attach great importance to wrestling technique, adopting stances, footwork and grips that guard against the opponent's attack while favoring their own striking moves. Through thirteen basic techniques — seizing, pulling, dragging, pushing, pressing and lifting — they evolve dozens of actions, striving with all their might to throw the opponent to the ground.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Mongolian bökh is a traditional sport created by the Mongolian people in their long nomadic life, combining competitive and recreational qualities. Wusu Mongolian wrestling is one component of Mongolian bökh, circulated in Wusu City of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, Bortala Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture and elsewhere. It is also transmitted in Gansu Province, Qinghai Province and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The competition format of Wusu Mongolian wrestling is of ancient simplicity and solemn dignity. The contest requires no special venue and has no weight-class restrictions. An even number of wrestlers takes part in a single-elimination tournament; one throw decides victory or defeat, and a drawn throw is called 'haimu' (a tie). An outstanding wrestler is called a 'mangna bökh', meaning a vanguard wrestler; this is the highest honor a wrestler can attain. Victory is won by forcing both of the opponent's shoulders to touch the ground simultaneously; this is one of the main characteristics of Wusu Mongolian wrestling. Beyond the standard of victory, it also shows distinct regional and ethnic features in costume, competition rules and folk rituals. Before a competition, wrestlers must be trained according to traditional custom, with their diet and sleep kept under control. During the contest, an elder of high prestige in the community must first be elected as referee. Two elders cover the heads of the contestants with blue and yellow cloth; after circling three times clockwise at the center of the arena, the contestants kowtow three times toward the main direction (the rostrum), then rise and begin the match. In addition, there are strict conventions and competition rules: no grabbing of the legs, no touching of certain parts of the body, and no nursing of grudges or taking of revenge. Wusu Mongolian wrestling requires the wrestler's bodily movements to be coordinated, fully displaying strength and skill in confrontation; it can train physical qualities such as strength, agility, speed and endurance, while also tempering the volitional character of resourcefulness, courage and tenacity. Wusu Mongolian wrestling is an ethnic sport combining competitiveness, fitness, folk character and entertainment, and is an indispensable event at Mongolian mass gatherings such as the nadam fair and oboo-worship ceremonies.
Draws and the vanguard wrestler title
Bouts are single elimination with draws called haimu, and the finest wrestlers earn the title mangna bukh, or vanguard wrestler.
The opening rite of the bout
Two elders cover the wrestlers' heads with blue and yellow cloth, walk three times sunwise about the field and bow three times before the bout begins.
The thirteen basic grappling methods
From thirteen basics such as seizing, pulling, dragging, pushing, pressing and lifting, wrestlers evolve dozens of techniques.
The Mengkenasheng and Qingshan lineages
Transmission runs both socially and within families along the Mengkenasheng and Qingshan lines; Mengkenasheng has held nearly thirty tournaments since 2006.
Wrestling at Naadam and oboo rites
An indispensable event at Naadam and oboo worship, the sport has generated a body of songs, praise verses and stories.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Wusu Mongolian wrestling is circulated in the Mongolian-settled townships and pastures of Wusu City, Tacheng Prefecture, Xinjiang, and is also found in the prefectures of Bayingolin, Bortala and Ili; parts of the Mongolian-settled areas of Gansu, Qinghai and Inner Mongolia also carry on the tradition.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Mongolian Boke · Mongolian Boke.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
According to traditional requirements, contestants must wear 'zhuodege' short trousers made of oxhide or deerskin, fighting bare-backed and barefoot; nowadays, out of convenience, a simple belt connecting and binding the wrestler's waist and thighs is habitually used in place of a wrestling suit. The project has a broad foundation of social transmission. It also relies on family transmission, as in the transmission lineages of Mengkenasheng and Qingshan. In the course of generations of transmission and development, a rich bökh culture of folk songs, songs of praise, blessings and stories has emerged, playing an active role in strengthening the sense of community identity and the harmony of the communities concerned. Mengkenasheng (from the official file of the associated inheritor): Male, Mongolian, born in March 1965, from Wusu City, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. A bökh skills performer. He has fully mastered the basic skills of Mongolian bökh — seizing, pulling, dragging, pushing, pressing and swaying — and possesses good psychological qualities and physical condition, with nimble movements. By virtue of his exquisite skill he has become a wrestler known far and wide, and an organizer and referee at the wrestling venues of local events of all kinds. Since 2006, he has organized and held nearly thirty wrestling competitions and trained more than thirty students. He is a representative inheritor of Mongolian bökh, a project in the fifth national-level batch of intangible cultural heritage. His apprentices include Bate Qiaolong, Wulisu, Batur, Bata, Gangka and Wulijiabayier.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Hada 05-2540
- Mengkenasheng 05-2541
- Eridengbayaer
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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