The 2013 China Xinjiang Ili Heavenly Horse International Tourism Festival will take place from July 10 to 14 in Zhaosu County, known as the "Hometown of Heavenly Horses in China." Organized by the Tourism Bureau of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and co-hosted by the Tourism Bureau of the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture and Xiyu Horse Industry Co., Ltd. of Zhaosu County, the festival seeks to deeply explore and present Ili’s grassland culture, heavenly horse culture, and folk culture. It aims to establish a premium tourism festival brand for Xinjiang and a unique tourism cultural identity for Ili, promote the development of the heavenly horse industry, and drive new breakthroughs in Ili’s tourism economy.
The press conference for the 2013 China Xinjiang Ili Heavenly Horse International Tourism Festival was held on April 17 at the Xinjiang Mansion in Beijing, where leaders of the organizing committee introduced Xinjiang Ili’s tourism resources and the activities of the Heavenly Horse Festival.
The Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture is located in the heart of the Eurasian continent, in the western part of China, covering an area of 350,000 square kilometers. It borders Russia, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia, with a total population of 4.6 million. The prefecture’s capital is Yining. The Ili River Valley spans 56,500 square kilometers and has a population of 2.88 million.
Ili boasts spectacular and beautiful natural scenery, often hailed as the "Wet Island of Central Asia" and the "Jiangnan Beyond the Great Wall." Upon arriving in Ili, you’ll be immediately struck by its lush greenery. The towering Tianshan mountain range, stretching thousands of miles, is crowned with silver glaciers and year-round snow, while its surroundings are vibrant and full of life. Ili is a world of grasslands, where high-mountain pastures, valley meadows, plains, hills, and meadowlands form a complete grassland family. Nalati Grassland has been ranked among China’s six most beautiful grasslands; Tangbula Grassland is known as a “hundred-mile scroll, a natural gallery”; the Xiate Ancient Path is hailed as the ladder to the icy peaks, and the Xiate Grand Canyon has become one of China’s top ten outdoor adventure routes; Kalajun, a high-mountain five-flower meadow, has been praised by officials from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization as “a rare, high-quality natural alpine grassland in the world”; Kuodeng’s snow-fir forests rank first among China’s ten most beautiful forests. Both Kalajun Grassland and Kuodeng Grassland are also nominated as UNESCO World Natural Heritage sites. In short, visiting Ili means experiencing not only captivating landscapes but also the awe of nature and a transcendent sense of serenity.
Located in the southwestern part of the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture in Xinjiang, Zhaosu County lies in the upper reaches of the Ili River, within a high-altitude basin in the inland of Central Asia. The region is ideal for the growth of pasture and the survival and reproduction of horses. It has long been one of the richest areas in China—and indeed the world—for original local horse breeds and is recognized as the birthplace of modern horse breeds globally. In 2003, Zhaosu was awarded the title of "Hometown of Heavenly Horses in China" by the Ministry of Agriculture. Zhaosu boasts abundant tourism resources and has developed five major tourist areas: the Xiate Grand Canyon Ecotourism Scenic Area, featuring glaciers, forests, high-mountain grasslands, canyon scenery, ancient path history and culture, rare wildlife, and the beauty of mountain rocks; the Pristine Grassland Horse Culture Scenic Area, comprising the Balakusu Grassland, the Heavenly Horse Breeding Base, and some of the Grassland Stone Figures; the Border Sightseeing and Experience Zone, including the Hassan Border Guard Company, the Gedeng Stele, and the Boma Ancient City; the Border Red Tourism Zone, consisting of military reclamation units, the Earthquake Memorial Monument, the Gedeng Stele, and the Xiate Ancient City; and the Outdoor Sports Tourism Area, centered around adventure treks through the Xiate Grand Canyon. The county also offers special tourism routes such as grassland self-driving tours, sketching, photography expeditions, and outdoor adventure travel.
Zhaosu is renowned for breeding fine horses and has a long-standing horse culture. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty once named the agile, nimble, and swift Ili horse the "Heavenly Horse," and since then, the Zhaosu Heavenly Horse has gained worldwide fame. In recent years, Zhaosu has built a comprehensive horse breeding and professional training system across the county, leveraging this unique resource. It aims to establish the largest and most influential base in China for the training and export of sport horses, tourism and leisure horses, and health-riding horses. The region promotes equestrian culture, establishes the brands of the "Heavenly Horse" and "Hometown of Heavenly Horses," and develops Zhaosu into the largest and most well-known horse culture and grassland ecotourism destination in Xinjiang and across China. The county also actively trains professional horse industry technicians, creating an important channel for herders to transition into new employment and thus boosting economic and social development, increasing farmers' and herders' incomes, and protecting the ecological environment. By hosting the Heavenly Horse International Tourism Festival, Zhaosu has further enhanced its tourism brand image. This cultural, sports, and tourism-integrated festival has become a key platform for Zhaosu to expand its market both within Xinjiang and across the nation.
Since 2009, the Ili Heavenly Horse International Tourism Festival has been successfully held three times. This year’s festival will revolve closely around the themes of "China’s Green Valley, Jiangnan Beyond the Great Wall" and "Pastoral Zhaosu, Hometown of Heavenly Horses." It will feature three carefully planned sections: main events, specialized events, and creative events. The main events include the opening ceremony, the Zhaosu Grassland “Heavenly Horse Cup” Super Endurance Race and Speed Race, the Akhen Aytis Festival, the Western China Horse Industry Summit Forum, and the "I Have a Foal in Zhaosu" Adoption Program. The specialized events consist of tourism commodity exhibitions, rock and mineral shows, food festivals, yurt competitions, famous horse auctions, fine-breed cattle pageants, a one-million-mu rapeseed flower photography contest, and investment promotion activities. The creative events include the Heavenly Horse Summer Camp, celebrity equestrian invitationals, a "Human vs. Horse" 100-meter race, and experiences of traditional grassland weddings. These events are distinctive and theme-focused, highlighting grassland horse culture and folk culture while emphasizing performance, participation, competition, and entertainment. The goal is to build the Ili River Valley into an international tourism valley and a world-class tourism destination.
Meanwhile, counties and cities across Ili, as well as key scenic spots, will also host a series of festivals, including the Apricot Blossom Festival, Lavender Festival, Bagua City I Ching Culture Festival, Snow Romance Ice and Snow Festival, and Snow Fir Ecology Festival, showcasing Ili’s tourism image as the "Green Valley of China, Jiangnan Beyond the Great Wall."