Looking for Li Bai’s hometown: Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan is a multi-ethnic country. More than 100 ethnic groups, including Kyrgyz, Russians, Uzbeks, Ukrainians, Germans, Tatars, Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Dungans, Tajiks, etc., live here.

Kyrgyzstan is a countryseeking development. With the opening of China’s “New Silk Road”, Kyrgyzstan has continued cooperation on the ancient “Silk Road” and has become an important constituent country of the “Belt and Road”.

What kind of country is Kyrgyzstan?

Let's see it together.

Many people will more or less sneer at the word "Stan". When I heard about traveling here, my jaw dropped.

There is no way, humans are a group of animals ruled by "inherent impressions".

In fact, "Stan" does not mean danger. "Stan" translates to "land."

So Kyrgyzstan means – the land of the Kyrgyz people.

Did it surprise you?

(Sorry, we didn’t explain this meaning until the fourth article of our “Five Countries in Central Asia” article.)

Without going to Kyrgyzstan, no one can imagine what this country would be like. But you can be assured of one thing: Kyrgyzstan is a very safe country.

Whether you are a solo traveler or traveling in a group. Even if you are a single woman, as long as you maintain normal behavior, you will basically have a safe journey in Kyrgyzstan.

The only potential "danger" is the capital Bishkek.

But don’t get me wrong, we’re not saying it’s unsafe, but the nightlife here is too rich and too crazy.

Friends who hang out in bars and nightclubs, remember to book yourself a taxi back to the hotel (of course choose a regular one) before getting drunk.

This safety rule applies to more than 99% of countries in the world, and Kyrgyzstan is no exception.

Speaking of this, some friends may ask: Bars and nightclubs? Are you not mistaken? Isn’t Kyrgyzstan a Muslim country?

Well, that's true. Kyrgyzstan is indeed a Muslim country that believes in Islam. But due to its early pre-Soviet history, religion is relatively open here, especially in the northern cities.

But even in the relatively traditional areas of the south, the numerous mosques and people's more traditional Muslim attire do not conflict much with modern life. This is mainly reflected in:

• Alcoholic beverages are sold almost everywhere;

• Gender segregation is barely visible;

• The locals are well-dressed and polite;

• Open as usual during Ramadan.

Do you suspect Kyrgyzstan is a fake Muslim country?

In fact, if you consider that Malaysia and Indonesia are both Muslim countries, you will probably understand.

After Kyrgyzstan was "forced" to break away from the former Soviet Union in the 1990s, it began to promote the social process of Westernization. Nowadays in the country's big cities, you will be surprised to find that there is a big difference between this place and the Central Asian "stan" country you imagined.

Among the five Central Asian countries, the Kyrgyz people are famous for their hospitality.

Whether it's hiking in the mountains or experiencing the customs in the villages. You will always be surrounded by the smiling blessings of the Kyrgyz people. If you are invited to taste homemade bread and afternoon tea in a yurt, accept it gladly. This is their nature.

Kyrgyzstan’s famous pilaf is definitely a must-have food on the table. Feel free to eat, this is the most authentic pilaf among the five Central Asian countries.

Of course, if you are invited to stay overnight, remember that it is not necessarily free. Either you have to pay, or you take the initiative to leave some small gifts for the locals in exchange.

In the open Kyrgyzstan, "enthusiasm" is sometimes not 100% absolute.

By the way, I almost forgot.

The Kyrgyz people were criticized by Soviet-era Russians for decades for not paying attention to sanitation. Nowadays, the country has greatly improved, especially the accommodation conditions. Neatness and cleanliness are everywhere.

Sometimes, it makes you think that they are a little mysophobic?

The Kyrgyz people are nomadic people, that is, the Huns in our Tang Dynasty.

Although as times change, many ancient traditions and cultures are slowly disappearing. But in Kyrgyzstan, there is a tradition of local nomads that has been almost completely preserved and has been passed down to this day. This is the most traditional nomadic hunting festival held in Kyrgyzstan every spring and autumn - Salburun Festival.

The Saarbrunn Festival, also known as the Hunting Festival, is one of the most important festivals every year.

During the Hunting Festival, a variety of traditional hunting projects and numerous performances will be held. Apart from exciting and exciting programs such as horse racing, hound and wolf fights, archery and horseback riding, the most attractive thing is the eagle hunter's falcon hunting.

Golden eagle, Accipitridae, scientific name Aquila Chrysaetos.

The feathers of young golden eagles are yellow-brown, with white dots at the ends of the flight feathers on both wings. When it reaches adulthood, its body is dark brown with spotted golden brown feathers, which is why it gets its name.

Adult golden eagles can grow up to about 1 meter in length, have a wingspan of more than 2 meters, and can fly at a maximum speed of 200 kilometers per hour. They are one of the most ferocious predators in nature in the northern hemisphere.

The nomadic people mainly support two types of falcons: golden eagle and falcon.

In ancient times, golden eagles were called vultures. With its handsome appearance and agile speed, it is a rare helper for nomads.

The life of the nomads in Kyrgyzstan is limited by the local mountains and varied terrain. Golden eagles and falcons not only provide nomadic hunters with a "god's eye view" to track their prey, but they can also swoop down from high altitudes to kill their prey. With its agile flight speed and powerful and sharp claws, the golden eagle's prey includes marmots, hares and foxes. Even goats, wild deer and wolves are in danger of being killed when encountering the golden eagle.

In Kyrgyzstan, hunting with golden eagles is a very old tradition, as is hunting with falcons. But with the advancement of times and society, nomadic hunting has almost become a thing of the past. In order to protect this ancient cultural tradition, Kyrgyzstan has created a special profession called falconry, and provides a platform for professional hunters to compete through the Saarbrunn Festival.

Professional falconers call the falcon hunting activity at the Saarbrunn Festival "Berkutchy", which is translated in English as "Hunting with eagles".

This profession is lifelong. Many Kyrgyz people who aspire to become falconers will start to cultivate relationships with young eagles from childhood, and gradually become a strong bond, and eventually transform into a lifelong mutual relationship. trust.

Although the falcon hunting activities at the Saarbrunn Festival today are more of a performance nature, every time the golden eagle swoops down from high altitude and completes the hunt in just a few seconds, the cheers from the crowd can still be heard. An instant boost of adrenaline for the audience.

In addition to hunting ground prey, there are also falconers who control golden eagles to hunt down prey in the air.

The golden eagle, which was resting on the hunter's arm one second, soared into the sky at the moment when the dove was released. With its broad and powerful wings flapping, it can steal the jingle bells with lightning speed, quickly occupy the highest point and lock on the prey, hovering while looking for opportunities. When the pigeon is distracted, the golden eagle immediately dives from the air, accelerates from 0 to 200 kilometers per hour in a few seconds, and quickly captures the prey with its sharp claws. His quick movements and accurate judgment attracted applause from the audience.

Feeling excited? Want to take a look?

No problem, the Saarbrun Festival is held at the Cholpon-Ata City Racecourse in the Issyk-Kul Lake region, 350 kilometers away from the capital Bishkek.

Of course, due to the local popularity of Kyrgyzstan’s Saalbrun Festival, it is absolutely necessary to book a tour departing from Bishkek in advance.

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