See How the World’s Oldest Skis Are Made at the Birthplace of the Skiing Sport

In the Altay region of Xinjiang, one can find the world’s oldest skis – horse-skin skis, which are a unique treasure of the locals and a “living fossil” that reproduces the earliest human skiing activities. In the old days, horse-skin skis were the transportation means for herdsmen living in the deep mountains in winter. It was made of pine wood and horse skin.

As an important tool for hunting, horse-skin skis are made of local wood and nailed with horsehide (the skin of horse leg) at the bottom, which glides with a fast speed.

In 2010, the Altay horse-skin skis were listed as an intangible cultural heritage at the autonomous region level. Today, this ancient craft is gaining new traction as more and more people become familiar with its making techniques.

Producer: Yang Gu

Chief Supervisor: Chen Jiandong, Song Leyong

Chief Planner: Che Jingwen, Jin Linghan

Script Writer: Yue Pei

Coordinator: Zhou Shuodi, Tao Yanyan, Yang Jingyi

Co-produced by: China Internet Development Foundation and GMW.cn