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On the Xinlin Gol Grassland of Inner Mongolia there is a
recreational dance called "Chagan Lindar", which means "playing
with a stick" in Mongolian. It is mainly performed by young men and
women in every mid-autumn when the moon becomes full. First, the
young men and women who take part in this dance are divided into
separate groups, and then a girl will be chosen from the group of
women to act as the "bride". The "bride" carries a wood stick in
her hand and exerts all her effort to throw it into the depth of
the grassland. The young men have to search all over the grassland
for it. If a young man has got it first, the other men will swarm
to him to scramble for the stick. The one who finally gets the
stick wins the game and becomes the "groom", who has the privilege
to dance with the "bride". All the other young men and women also
join in the singing and dancing till late at night. In fact, this
recreational dance provides opportunities for the unmarriedmen and
women to meet and choose their life companions freely.