A Perfect Example of Sheer Love of Sports: Volleyball Playing in Angsu Town of Inner Mongolia

In Angsu Town, Ordos, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, over 3,500 people out of its 8,000 permanent population show a strong interest and enthusiasm towards playing volleyball.

For herdspeople in Angsu Town, their daily life is all about horseback riding, sheep tending, and volleyball playing. Almost every village and community in the town has a volleyball court. Farmers and herdspeople have organized 49 volleyball teams, hosting an average of over 400 matches annually of varying scales.

Working during the daytime and playing volleyball at night has become a daily routine for many people. It is common to see herdspeople driving dozens or even hundreds of kilometers just to attend a volleyball game.

"People of all ages, from 10-year-olds to 70-year-olds, enjoy playing volleyball here. When the sun sets, folks flock from far and wide to join in the fun. This can help us keep fit while fostering a sense of community," said Ari Silang, a volleyball enthusiast from Maladi Village in Angsu Town.

Due to its free and unrestrained nature, volleyball brings people closer to each other on the grassland, providing people with a moment of respite from daily work.

People engage in volleyball with joy and enthusiasm. [Photo by Yang Yadong]

A moment captured in a volleyball game. [Photo by Yang Yadong]

Players are blocking the ball. [Photo by Yang Yadong]

Intense competition within the game. [Photo by Yang Yadong]

An aerial view of the volleyball court [Photo by Yang Yadong]