Beijing's Ancient Bird Fetching Tradition Endures

Only a handful of residents continue the Qing Dynasty-era game with migratory wutong birds.

A centuries-old tradition in Beijing involves residents playing fetch with migratory wutong birds using plastic beads and carbon tubes.
The tradition, dating back to the Qing Dynasty, is now practiced by only about 50 to 60 people in Beijing.
Players train the birds for four to five months, teaching them to fetch beads in exchange for treats.
The game is believed to have originated with Manchu nobles and has been preserved in Beijing's traditional hutong alleyways.
Wutong bird owners release the birds in late spring to migrate back northeast, only to catch or purchase new ones in the fall.