SANYA, China, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- As the referee's whistle echoed through the arena, Lien Te-An braced himself. Facing away from his opponent, with the red silk strap wrapped around his body, he pushed forward with all his strength to pull the ribbon over the victory line.
This was Yajia, a traditional sport from southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, often called the "elephant tug-of-war" for its resemblance to the actions of elephants.
At China's 12th National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities, Lien was the sole athlete from Taiwan Province participating in the Yajia event.
This wasn't Lien's first encounter with Yajia. In 2019, he competed in the 11th edition of the Games in Zhengzhou, Henan Province. Back then, his knowledge of the sport was minimal.
"I only had a basic understanding of Yajia from the internet when I arrived in Zhengzhou," Lien recalled. "I had no prior experience and relied on observing other athletes and figuring things out."
Despite his limited preparation, Lien managed to secure a third-prize finish in his debut, a feat attributed to his athletic background.
Growing up in Yilan County, Taiwan Province, Lien initially played basketball, but a severe injury forced him to change his focus. "The injury made it impossible to continue chasing my basketball dream," he said. The luge association saw his potential and invited him to try the sport. "It was a chance to explore the world, and with my family's support, I embraced it."
Now retired, the 30-year-old mentors younger luge athletes but still made the journey from Latvia, where he has been leading training sessions, to participate in the Games in Sanya, Hainan Province.
"Yajia is about endurance, technique, and managing your physical energy," he explained. "Like luge, it requires full-body strength."
This year's Yajia event saw participation from 29 teams across China, reflecting the sport's growing popularity and its role as a cultural bridge.
Lien, a member of the Atayal tribe, also expressed a deep connection to indigenous sports traditions. "We also have traditional sports like wood chopping and boar hunting, which evolved from our ancestors' daily labor," he said.
Beyond the competition, Lien was eager to explore other events, such as crossbow shooting and sparkler-grabbing, which is often referred to as "Chinese Rugby."
The Games also reunited Lien with an old friend, Hanat Hami, a Kazakh competitor from northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The two first met five years ago in Zhengzhou, where Hanat shared valuable tips that helped Lien adapt quickly to the sport.
"Even though we're miles apart, we stay in touch," said Lien.
From the inland province of Henan last time to Hainan, an island province, Lien said each experience has been unique. "What remains the same is that the people are warm, the scenery is beautiful, and I hope there will be more opportunities for everyone to interact and compete together in the future," he said. ■
