Herdsmen in Uxin Banner, Ordos, Inner Mongolia, perform a horsing-racing technique unique to the region called “walking horse”. [Photo/WeChat account of Ordos Reported]

Uxin Banner in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, received the title of being the “hometown of Chinese folk culture and art”, according to a document recently released by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. 

A total of 175 towns made it onto the list, with five from Inner Mongolia. Uxin Banner was the only place in Ordos to be recognized. It was placed on the list because of its traditional custom called “Walking horse”, a local variety of horse-racing popular there. 

Uxin Banner is the birthplace of the “walking horse” skill which dates back to the Yuan Dynasty (618-907). The government of the time popularized the sport when it established an official pasture dedicated to it. 

In recent years, many non-government associations dedicated to researching the “walking horse” tradition and studying horse-racing techniques have been active in the region.