Herdsmen drive to pastures new

The timeless rhythm of pastoral life continues across the majestic landscapes in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, yet echoes with the hum of modern progress. Each June, as the summer sun warms the grasslands, herders like Balatijan Eremubai embark on the critical journey to pastures at higher altitudes — a tradition now seamlessly blending age-old practices with contemporary convenience.

At this time every year, herdsmen ride horses to drive their livestock from spring to summer pasture. There are hundreds of cattle and sheep cross the mountains led by herdsmen.

For the 43-year-old man and his family from a village in Xinyuan county, which borders the Nalati scenic area in Xinjiang, this year's three-day migration to summer pastures has unfolded with practiced efficiency, reflecting broader changes sweeping across Xinjiang's pastoral regions.

On June 10, their first day, Balatijan organized a truck to transport their traditional felt yurt and essential household supplies, carefully packing their belongings at their settled home near the spring-autumn pastures. No longer reliant solely on pack animals, the truck symbolizes a key shift.