In a plaza encircled by traditional Miao and Dong ethnic group buildings in the southwestern province of Guizhou, a unique event was unfolding.

Clad in traditional ethnic attire, women dashed across a basketball court, their laughter and determination echoing through the air. They were engaged in an unconventional game, running across the court while holding the basketball in their arms, passing the ball, scoring and eliciting thunderous cheers from the onlooking villagers and tourists.

It was a common scene during the first Guizhou Qiandongnan Prefecture Auntie Basketball Invitational Tournament held last month in the prefecture's Leishan county.

The tournament, divided into two categories — one for the general public and another for villagers — drew 19 teams from across the prefecture. Among them, two teams from Leishan performed exceptionally, claiming victory in their respective categories.

Shi Fang, director of the Leishan Sports Management Center, explained the origins of the term "auntie basketball". In the local culture, women who marry outside a village are lovingly referred to as "aunties".

Though named after these women, the tournament welcomed all female participants.

The venue for the event was a local scenic area in Leishan. The matches started around 9 am and concluded by 10 pm, each game consisting of two halves of 15 minutes each.

Auntie basketball has a set of unique rules. Li Xia, general manager of Guizhou Nongdongbao Sports, Travel, and Culture Development Co explained that players don't have to dribble the ball and are allowed to run with it in their arms. Moreover, intentional fouls are the only ones that are called.

During breaks, the spectators were treated to a variety of performances, including wooden drum dances, bronze drum dances and traditional performances put on by people from the Miao and Dong ethnic groups, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the prefecture.

While visiting Leishan, a visitor surnamed Liu said she and her family were drawn to the lively atmosphere and the exciting scenes of an auntie basketball game.

"We had no idea about this tournament before coming here," she said. "It's so intriguing. The aunties are full of love and unity."

Auntie basketball has garnered a significant following online. During this year's Spring Festival, Miao women from Leishan organized an auntie basketball tournament, attracting 75 teams from across the county. The delightful video clips from the event have captivated numerous netizens, with total online views exceeding 2.5 billion.

Shi believes that the sport not only brings joy to the lives of local women, but also provides them with a platform to showcase themselves. Chinese national basketball team player Han Xu once shared a video of an auntie basketball game, praising the beauty and confidence of the female participants.

Pan Yongyin, a player from Kaili city, Guizhou, said: "I've never played in such a basketball match before. It's so much fun, and it's also nice to have a meal together with our opponents after the game."

Xinhua contributed to this story.