"Uukhai" ankle archery festival

"Uukhai" ankle archery festival

乌兰巴托 , 巴彦祖尔赫

Ankle archery originated in the 13th century, and in the beginning, it was a pastime enjoyed by kings and princes in their homes. Later, it became the people's festival and expanded into a festival where men test their skills. Until the beginning of the last century, the anklets of Khalkh district used to meet once a year during the flowering time of monos, making a date that "even if it rains or if the knife is scratched, we will gather."

Headland of Daichin Wang of Tusheet Khan Province, now Bulgan Province, is the birthplace of archery. The researchers explain that the game was called "toirom" because the players play in a circle, and later the place where the players gather was called toirom.

Since 2001, ankle archery has become a type of national festival with official rules. It is shot from a distance of 9 cubits or 4.72 meters from the horoscope. Aim at the center of the zodiac, and the shooting tools are called the quiver and the arrow. Place the arrow on the fence and shoot it. At first, ankles were butchered from the metatarsal bone.

Today, the fence is made of black sandalwood and white mahogany, and the arrows are made of jasper, black arrowwood, deer horn, and ivory. An archery team consists of seven members, six of whom shoot. Playing against the opposing team is about 80 minutes, and teams have to sit for 10 hours a day to compete in the round robin. When the archers have finished shooting, they circle the arena and return to their homeland.