On June 7, hundreds of Hohhot residents gathered around a cone-shaped mound called Aobao to offer livestock and libation, praying to the spirits for peace and a bountiful harvest.

The religious ceremony usually falls on the 13th day of the fifth month in the Chinese lunar calender.

During the ritual, bottles of holy water, pieces of scripture, and letters containing prayers were placed on the mound, while colorful ribbons were hung above it.

Apart from Hohhot, many regional places also held rituals, including Hulunbuir, Ulanqab, and Arxan.

Originally a landmark for herdsmen navigating the grasslands, Aobao is usually piled with stones, sand and branches.

After the time of Genghis Khan, Aobao served as a sacred tomb honoring warriors who died in war, with the swords or axes of martyrs inserted in the mound’s peak.

Gradually Aobao has become a place for sacrificial offerings where locals pray to the mountain or spirits, as well as their ancestors.

People now offer corn, meat, fruit and alcohol at Aobao and pray for good weather, a good harvest and good fortune. The sacrificial rites can be on a small scale or part of a grand ceremony.

Every summer, local herdsmen invite Buddhist lamas to chant scriptures around Aobao, and people surround the mound and wish for future blessings.

Some also dress in unique Mongolian-style costumes holding hada, pieces of silk cloth imbedded with separate auspicious meanings according to their colors.

Local residents offer sacrifices at Aobao in a Mongolian culture park in Yuquan district, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia autonomous region on June 7. [Photo/Xinhua]

Local people encircle Aobao to pray for blessings at a Mongolian culture park in Yuquan district, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia autonomous region on June 7. [Photo/Xinhua]