On the Xinlin Gol Grassland of Inner Mongolia there is a recreational dance called “Chagan Lindar”, which means “playing with a stick” in Mongolian. It is mainly performed by young men and women in every mid-autumn when the moon becomes full. First, the young men and women who take part in this dance are divided into separate groups, and then a girl will be chosen from the group of women to act as the “bride”. The “bride” carries a wood stick in her hand and exerts all her effort to throw it into the depth of the grassland. The young men have to search all over the grassland for it. If a young man has got it first, the other men will swarm to him to scramble for the stick. The one who finally gets the stick wins the game and becomes the “groom”, who has the privilege to dance with the “bride”. All the other young men and women also join in the singing and dancing till late at night. In fact, this recreational dance provides opportunities for the unmarried men and women to meet and choose their life companions freely. |