August is the most fascinating season in northern Tibet with pleasant climate, lush grass and plenty of water. Horses are strong and fat at this time of year. When we made our investigation in Amdo County, the once-a-year horse race meeting took place. The horse race festival is also called "Summer Entertainrnent", a time-honored traditional festival in the pastoral areas of northern Tibet. In tribal times, baffle was common for herdsmen. Horse race combines military drill with entertainment, so it was, and still is, popular among herdsmen. Yet, though it is called race meeting, the priority is not the race itself, but worshipping holy mountains.
　　The ritual of worshipping holy mountains is popular in Tibet and neighboring areas, yet it means more to herdsmen than to any other people in other places. Holy mountains represent gods who protect them in this life. Locals call them "xida", meaning "local gods". They help to resist invaders and bless people and animals. Through worshipping them, the interior strength of a group of herdsmen is strengthened. In addition to the well-known holy mountains that are worshipped by all Tibetan people, each tribe in northern Tibet has their own holy mountains. They divide them into three types: first, mountains of mercy which would not hurt people under any circumstances; second, holy mountains that take the responsibility to punish wrong-doers; third, mountains that can both protect good people and punish wrong-doers. What's interesting is that holy mountains have ranks and different characters as in the earthly world. In the Maimer Tribe, where we made our investigation, people worship two holy mountains - Choige and Xalha
- who are of different personalities: Choige is rich and noble while Xalha is famous for its bravery. The reputation a holy mountain enjoys is closely related with the strength of the tribe that worships it.
　　The horse race festival is the time when herdsmen worship holy mountains. All the members of the tribe will gather at the foot of the holy mountain and perform grand religious rituals. These start from the sutra-chanting by lamas, followed by herdsmen who bear sacrifices and holy arrows, and gallop on horseback toward where the altar is situated while shouting "Invincible God". They will change old ropes that tie flags with new ones and hang colorful streamers befitting their physical existence and yak and sheep wool on their bodies. Pilgriins then march around the holy mountain in a clockwise direction. On the pilgrimage, they bum zanba and tree branches for holy smoke, present mani stones inscribed with scriptures and hadas to the mountain, scatter buffer, milk dregs, grains, and sometimes even silver coins, turquoise, agate and coral along the way, and pay their homage by presenting "first tea" and "second tea" to the holy mountain.
　　Herdsmen are pious believers in holy mountains. To obtain a blessing, they sometimes go on a month- and even year-long pilgrimage to famous holy mountains such as Kangrinboqe. Some families even settle down at the foot of holy mountains and never return to their hometown. In history, collective activities of worshipping gods sometimes affected government tax collection in pastoral areas. It is recorded that the magistrate of Nagqu County once dispatched troops to prevent herdsmen from going on a pilgrimage. During the "cultural revolution", worshipping holy mountains was once stopped. With the implementation of free-religion policy in recent years, worshipping holy mountains has become a grand event in pastoral areas.
　　Besides religious activities, the horse race each summer is also a grand gathering for herdsmen leading a nomadic life on the grassland. In a sense, it's of more significance than the Tibetan new year.
　　During the festival, government departments hold meetings to announce and explain policies and make plans for next year's production. Businessmen are active, too. Locals and those from Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai and Sichuan drive trucks and set up tents to sell daily necessities. Some of them walk among tents and purchase yak and sheep hides from local herdsmen. The town of tents is not short of anything that a normal town has: bars, teahouses, restaurants, department stores, video shows and billiards.
　　The horse race is also a beautiful time for young men and women. On the once-a-year gathering, they sing, they dance and they enjoy themselves. If love sparkles between a young man and a girl, they would leave for the boundless grassland. Their parents usually respect their choices.
　　Before the Democratic Reform in 1959, horse race meetings were sponsored by tribes or counties. Today, they are organized by villages, counties or other higher-level governments. Several days before the race meeting, a village of white tents will suddenly sprout on the vast grassland, the normal serenity broken by the hustle and bustle of people and imposing, colorfully-clad horses. To let the race horses have the best competitive spirit, herdsmen have invented a unique training method: they wrap the horses in a blanket and let them run twice a day and have baths in rivers thrice, namely in the morning, at noon and in the evening, until the muscles of the horses quiver. Then, they walk the animals on the bank. This can strengthen their stamina for the long race. There are a variety of interesting events, such as picking up hadas and shooting from horseback, in addition to ordinary races. Besides speed, steadiness and posture on horseback, horsemanship is the focus of public attention. Winners receive abundant prizes and are the admiration by everyone, even years later.