“Hundreds of Tents, Thousands of Yaks” Milking Competition Highlights Pastoral Culture Around Qinghai Lake

Dragon Media News Desk

A traditional milking competition featuring hundreds of tents and thousands of yaks has been organized by Jokor Village in Yukar Omlung Township, Gangcha County of northwest China’s Qinghai Province, bringing together pastoral culture, ecological conservation and the preservation of intangible cultural heritage around Qinghai Lake.

Closely connected with the traditional way of life of local herding communities, the event provides a platform to showcase yak husbandry, traditional milking skills and the distinctive pastoral culture of the Qinghai Lake region. Growing in both scale and quality over the years, the event has developed into an important window for presenting the area’s rich pastoral heritage.

One of the central aims of the event is to promote harmonious coexistence between local communities and the ecological environment surrounding Qinghai Lake. By connecting environmental conservation with traditional livelihoods, organizers seek to encourage sustainable use of natural resources while strengthening awareness of the importance of preserving local cultural heritage.

The milking competition is presented not simply as a contest but as a demonstration of knowledge and skills passed down through generations of herding families. It highlights the close relationship between everyday pastoral life, traditional production methods and the cultural identity of communities living around Qinghai Lake.

The event also places importance on safeguarding and transmitting intangible cultural heritage while supporting the development of the pastoral economy. By linking traditional production practices with contemporary development, it seeks to improve local livelihoods and encourage higher-quality growth of industries associated with animal husbandry.

A variety of community-based cultural, artistic and sporting activities are also held as part of the event. These activities provide opportunities for greater public participation, strengthen ties among local communities and promote cultural exchanges, social harmony and unity among different ethnic groups.

According to organizers, the “Hundreds of Tents, Thousands of Yaks” milking competition has become increasingly extensive and well organized from year to year. It now serves as a broader platform for preserving pastoral traditions, supporting local industries, expanding cultural and sporting activities and introducing the distinctive cultural identity of the Qinghai Lake region to a wider audience.

By presenting the natural environment, pastoral livelihoods and traditional culture together, the event reflects the cultural vitality of the Qinghai Lake region and demonstrates local efforts to preserve inherited traditions while connecting them with sustainable modern development.