The Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics saw many excellent athletes compete on the ice and snow， prompting an enthusiasm for winter sports in China. In fact， the country has had a deep relationship with winter sports since ancient times， with skiing originating in the Altay prefecture of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

In 2005， cave paintings of Altay people hunting on skis with poles were discovered， which archaeologists estimated could be more than 10，000 years old. Since then， Altay has been recognized by many as one of the birthplaces of skiing.

As one of the richest collections of ancient rock art in China， there are herds of camels， sheep， wolves and human figures. The painting on the roof of a cave in Dundebulake village of Altay prefecture depicts humans on skis， bending their knees as they travel alongside animals， including deer and moose.

北京冬奧會和冬殘奧會上，優(yōu)秀運(yùn)動員們參與了冰雪運(yùn)動比賽，激發(fā)了中國人民對冬季運(yùn)動的熱情。實(shí)際上，中國自古以來就與冬季運(yùn)動有著深厚的淵源，滑雪就起源于新疆維吾爾自治區(qū)的阿勒泰地區(qū)。

2005年，人們發(fā)現(xiàn)了阿勒泰先民滑雪狩獵的巖畫，考古學(xué)家估算這些壁畫可能有1萬多年的歷史。從那時(shí)起，阿勒泰就被許多人視為人類滑雪的起源地之一。

阿勒泰是中國古代巖畫分布最豐富的地區(qū)之一，巖畫包含駱駝群、羊群、狼群和人物等內(nèi)容。阿勒泰敦德布拉克村一個(gè)洞穴的頂部畫有巖畫，畫中人物腳踏滑雪板，彎腰屈膝，與鹿和駝鹿等動物一同馳騁。

The rock art in Dundebulake is well preserved because the pictographs are well hidden in the cave.

Additionally， Altays dry climate has been a useful preserving agent， according to a 2016 research paper published by the Hebei Normal University.

Unique geographical and climatic conditions make skiing an indispensable part of local peoples lives. The climate in Altay is mild and not too windy， so skiers are less affected by weather conditions， allowing them to safely move faster.

Unlike the modern skis we use nowadays， fur skis have been used as a means of transportation for the snowfield inhabitants of Altay for more than 100 centuries， according to rock carvings uncovered in the area.

Making skis has been a traditional skill. The handmade skis have a layer of horse skin. The fur on the horse skin can help decrease friction when they slide down the hill， while the skis also prevent skiers from falling when they walk up. At the same time， they have a wooden stick in hand to keep balance.

Fur ski competitions have been held annually by the local government. Many locals would display their maneuvers at the competitions.

敦德布拉克的古代巖畫很好地掩藏在洞穴中，因而保存完好。

此外，根據(jù)河北師范大學(xué)2016年發(fā)布的一篇研究論文，阿勒泰氣候干燥，這也成了一種有用的保藏劑。

獨(dú)特的地理和氣候條件讓滑雪成為當(dāng)?shù)厝松钪胁豢苫蛉钡囊徊糠帧０⒗仗夂驕睾蜕亠L(fēng)，因此滑雪者受天氣條件的影響較小，能夠安全快速地滑行。

與我們現(xiàn)在使用的現(xiàn)代滑雪板不同，根據(jù)阿勒泰地區(qū)出土的巖畫顯示，阿勒泰先民使用毛皮滑雪板作為交通工具已有1萬多年。

制作滑雪板一直是阿勒泰的一項(xiàng)傳統(tǒng)手藝。手工制作的滑雪板附有一層馬皮。馬皮上的皮毛可以幫助滑雪者在滑下山坡時(shí)減少摩擦，也可以防止滑雪者在上山時(shí)摔倒。同時(shí)，滑雪者會手拿一根木棍，來保持平衡。

阿勒泰地方政府每年都會舉辦毛皮滑雪比賽。許多當(dāng)?shù)厝藭诒荣愔幸徽股硎帧?/p>

Word Bank

prompt /pr?mpt/ v. 激起;促使

His speech prompted an angry outburst from a man in the crowd.

estimate /'est?me?t/ v. 估計(jì);估算

Try to estimate how many steps it will take to get to a close object.

depict /d?'p?kt/ v. 描畫;描繪

pictograph /'p?kt?'ɡrɑ?f/ n. 象形圖畫

indispensable /'?nd?'spens?bl/ adj. 不可或缺的

friction /'fr?k?n/ n. 摩擦

maneuver /m?'nu?v?/ n. （熟練的）移動