In Xiadongzhai village, Shanxi province, the traditional Paomapai celebration was held on March 4, marking the sixteenth day of the first lunar month. This ancient bareback horse-riding event, dating back over 1,000 years to the late Eastern Han Dynasty, originated as a military practice where couriers rode swiftly without saddles to deliver urgent messages. Today, it is a vibrant cultural festival featuring traditional performances and strict adherence to age-old customs, such as leveling the paths and ceremonial route inspections.

The event gained national recognition in 2021 as an intangible cultural heritage and was added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2024 as part of the Spring Festival celebrations. Dong Jinxiang, a 45-year-old villager and truck driver who has ridden horses since age 14, took on the prestigious role of “messenger” this year, symbolizing both responsibility and good fortune for the Year of the Horse.