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(The following text reflects my personal understanding; please forgive and correct any inaccuracies, esteemed seniors.)

Before posting this, I would first like to thank Chinese cowboys such as Wild Child Wu Qiang, Brother Lan, and Sister Shao, as well as the members of the Horse Mad Nest Club, including Steamed Bun and fellow equestrian enthusiasts. I also want to express my gratitude to Brother Jeep from Legendary Manor, Brother Dayong from Legendary Bar, AQHA China Representative Mr. An Tao, and all friends who are passionate about cowboy culture and equestrianism for their support of our documentary shoot. Over the years, these esteemed seniors have been dedicated to promoting cowboy culture and equestrian sports in China. As their fan—no, more accurately, their noodle fan (I no longer possess the graceful figure of a true fan)—though I can only look up to them from afar, I remain persistent, following at a distance, sprinting toward the same goalpost. Brother Tan Xu invited me to ride horses together in Idaho, USA this summer, but alas, I can only sigh at his kind invitation. This summer, I plan to promote cowboy culture and equestrian sports among teenagers in several provinces around Beijing, allowing more Chinese youth to learn about equestrianism and cowboy culture.

It is truly an honor to have had the opportunity this time to accompany several directors, hosts, and cameramen from the travel channel of a television station in Shanxi, as we ventured into the Fengning Bashang Grassland, delved into the lives of Chinese cowboys, and experienced Chinese cowboy culture firsthand.

For a long time, many people have enjoyed wearing cowboy attire. Fashion commentators say this reflects a modern, leisurely lifestyle. But in reality, it also embodies a spirit admired by Westerners—the cowboy spirit.

As an indispensable part of American lore, cowboys have become iconic national figures. They are the embodiment of romanticism and rugged wildness, symbolizing America’s pioneering history, westward expansion, and founding mythology. Through the influence of Hollywood films and the real-life “bad boys,” the brave, hardworking, skilled horsemen with free spirits have become an essential chapter in American history.

In American Western films, cowboys appear like chivalrous knights—handsome, dashing, possessing extraordinary skills, and ever-elusive, much like the martial heroes in Jin Yong’s novels. But tracing back to their roots, the real lives of American cowboys in the Old West were incredibly harsh.

Bravery, perseverance, fearlessness in the face of adversity, and indomitable spirit—these are the true qualities of the cowboy spirit.

Nowadays, people who love wearing jeans often seek out those that have been stone-washed or faded to give a “worn” look. Now there's even a new technique: enzyme washing for that aged appearance. But this artificially created wear should not be seen merely as a fashion trend. The faded look represents hardship and reflects the brave, determined spirit of cowboys. Wearing such jeans means you unconsciously admire the resilient, unyielding cowboy spirit forged through trials.

A Chinese-style cowboy spirit is quietly emerging. It carries forward the pioneering, enterprising, and unwaveringly determined spirit of American cowboys. Chinese cowboys, too, vividly and gloriously embody the cowboy spirit in their daily lives and work.


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