Skiing in Xinjiang with the locals

Hemu village; traditional Tuvan fur skis. Photos Provided to China Daily

As I put my boots into the bindings on a modern snowboard, the Tuvans began to strap tightly to their feet their unique skis made of horse skin and pinewood. Each one of them would then use a long wooden pole to balance the body when skiing.

Some archaeologists believe the design of their skis could be traced back to the late Paleolithic era, also known as the Old Stone Age, around 12,000 years ago, judging by a rock painting of human figures skiing that was discovered near Altay, about 200 kilometers from Hemu.

After we were all set, it was game on. Although the snow was very thick, the bushes buried under it caused many problems for me as I went down. It didn't seen to bother the Tuvans, who used to hunt moose in the forest in the winter on their fur skis.

I had the perfect excuse to lose. After all, the Tuvans invented skiing and they have carried on the tradition of teaching their children to ski at a very early age because they still rely on skies as basic transportation to get through the winter.

After the intensive competition (for me, not for them) I sat down with my Tuvan friends with a cup of their traditional milk tea, and they laughed at how clumsy I was. "Modern doesn't necessarily mean better," one said. It was so far the best skiiing experience in my life, and an experience that one can have only in Xinjiang.