The Ulan Muqir in Subei was established in the 1970s to bring the arts to rural areas. Today, young people like members of the Deji band continue that task, traversing the grasslands with gear packed into dusty buses.

After completing their performance at a Naadam festival, a traditional ethnic Mongolian festival that holds competitions, such as wrestling, horse racing and archery, Qinbugele found an open field to lie down. The distant snow-capped mountains reflected the glow of the setting sun, creating a serene and beautiful scene.

"No theater compares to this," Qinbugele says, as the sun dips below the horizon.