Mongolia Culture Blog

Zulsar Serkhin - - Rest in Peace

2011-02-07T19:05:00.000-08:00

Zulsar Serkhin

In memory of Zulsar, a great Mongolian musician.

Zulsar Serkhin was one of Mongolia’s most gifted and powerful Khoomi singers of his generation. As a young boy growing up in Mongolia Zulsar became fascinated with the sound of Khoomi music when he heard his uncle perform some Khoomi songs. This pivotal experience led Zulsar to teach himself the technique of Khoomi singing by recreating the Khoomi sounds he had heard and he developed other Khoomi tones while walking in the Mongolian countryside listening to the sounds of nature.

Zulsar joined the Mongolian State Folk and Dance Ensemble as a young dancer where he met established Khoomi singers from whom he learned more Khoomi techniques and developed some of his own. Eventually Zulsar taught himself almost three hundred songs and became a popular singer whose natural abilities helped enliven the ancient Khoomi song tradition in Mongolia.

Over the years Zulsar traveled with the Mongolian State Folk and Dance Ensemble to Japan and Europe and in 2001 he performed in the U.S. for the first time for the Festival of Mongolia’s celebration of Mongolian traditional culture in New York.

Zulsar was a very charismatic and exciting performer with the gift for engaging audience members in ways that needed no translation. He was a warm presence, with an adventurous independent spirit who set a course all his own.

Rest in peace, my friend.

"World of Khubilai Khan: Chinese Art in the Yuan Dynasty" Exhibition

2010-12-24T16:52:00.000-08:00

Chabi, Royal consort of Khubilai Khan,

Khubilai Khan

"World of Khubilai Khan: Chinese Art in the Yuan Dynasty" Exhibition

The long-awaited arrival of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s The World of Khubilai Khan: Chinese Art in the Yuan Dynasty exhibition finally washed ashore on Manhattan Island in late-September, 2010 after many years of planning. The exhibition's manifest includes artworks dating from the pre-Song Dynasty period, as well as the reign of Khubilai Khan and the Mongol Yuan Dynasty in China.

China’s history is rife with conquest and rule by many non-Chinese peoples including the Liao 916-1125, the Xixia (Tangut) 1038 -1127, the Jin Dynasty (Jurchen) 1115-1234 and the longest reigning of these outsiders, the Manchu, 1646 – 1912, who in large part emulated the Mongols.

On March 19th, 1279 at the decisive battle of Yamen, the Song boy-king Song Di Bing perished and the kingdom of the Southern Song fell at last to the Mongols. The Great Wall had once again failed to keep out the "barbarians" from the North and now all China was under the command of the Mongols. Having reunified China after more than 350 years, Khubilai Khan founded the Yuan Dynasty, (1271 -1368) and essentially created the nation-state of China as we know it today, including founding the capital at Dadu (modern-day Beijing).

The triumph of the Mongols over the Chinese Song Dynasty caused tremendous cultural upheaval and heralded a period of dynamic change in several arenas of the arts in Yuan Dynasty China.

The Mongol ruling elite were seasoned connoisseurs of fine art, intuitive arbiters of taste, and renowned patrons of the arts throughout their massive empire, from Siberia to Europe. Having completed their epic conquest, Khubilai Khan and the Mongols took time to savor the myriad delectations spread before them in a China that was now their richly appointed pleasure-garden.

After the fall of the Southern Song many demoralized Song court artists fled to self-imposed exile; yet many others sought out work at the Mongol court. On display in this exhibition is a rich bounty of extraordinary Yuan Dynasty art objects that are the fruits of the labors of Chinese artists, as well as those created by artists from Tibet, Nepal, Persia and Central Asia.

This subdued exhibition does not bring alive the Mongol presence in China as much as present a collection of extraordinary Yuan-period artworks along with a a mish-mash of others that are non-Yuan. The non-Yuan objects are from other dynasties, including the Xixia, Southern Song and Jin dynasties.

Although titled “The World of Khubilai Khan: Chinese Art in the Yuan Dynasty ” the Great Khan himself is generally missing-in-action in his namesake exhibition other than his striking regal portrait and close-by that of his royal consort, Chabi.

These two Yuan Dynasty paintings -- which are absolute masterpieces -- epitomize the clear distinctions of Mongol imperial aesthetic sensibility and character when compared to the portraits of Song Dynasty rulers.

Emperor Gaozong, Song dynasty, 1107-1187
(Not shown in exhibition) National Palace Museum, Taipei.

Empress Yang, Song Dynasty, 1162-1233
(Not shown in exhibition) National Palace Museum, Taipei.

Whereas in Song Dynasty court portraits the Song kings and queens tepidly look away from the viewer with enfeebled expressions, dull eyes and pale pallor; Khubilai Khan and Chabi are positively aglow in their portraits, with fearless, twinkling greenish-brown eyes, rosy cheeks and direct, engaging gazes.

The relationship between subject and viewer is transformed by this Mongol approach of straightforward visual engagement, which is quite unlike the Song expression of tepid disengagement.

This pivotal change in imperial portrait aesthetic clearly demonstrates Khubilai Khan's sure-handed ability in giving art direction to Chinese court portrait artists and his preference for a dynamic rendering of his regal likeness.

Khubilai Khan Hunting, 1280, Liu Guando. Fig. 267
(Not shown in exhibition) National Palace Museum, Taipei.

The hanging scroll showing Khubilai Khan hunting with Empress Chabi is not part of this exhibition, but is featured in the exhibition catalog. This particular painting conveys more about Khubilai's lifestyle than much of what is displayed in the "Daily Life" section of the exhibition.

Assuming that the "Daily Life" section is meant to illuminate Mongol imperial life, the viewer finds that the exhibition includes scarce mention of Yuan Dynasty court life, and is bereft of any details about the Mongol way of life during their reign in China.

The Mongol imperial hunt scroll painting would have deftly illustrated Khubilai Khan's personal lifestyle. The Mongol emperors in China retained their core cultural traditions of which hunting was an essential practice. Hunting remained a key part of the Mongol way of life during the Yuan Dynasty and was a fundamental training method for Mongol cavalry since the time of Chinggis Khan.

Marco Polo's eyewitness account of Khubilai Khan's daily life provides some critical details about how the emperor spent his time. Inclusion of Marco Polo's invaluable eyewitness account would have naturally been fitting for this exhibition, but is curiously omitted in exhibition wall texts and displays. Marco Polo however is cited in a few pages in the exhibition catalog.

This excerpt from Marco Polo's observations about Khubilai Khan's hunting practices tells us where he spent more than three months of his daily life: " You may take it for a fact that during three months which the Great Khan spends in the city of Khan-balik, that is December, January, and February, he has ordered that within a distance of sixty days' journey from where he is staying everybody must devote himself to hunting and to hunting and hawking...... When the Khan has spent the three months of December, January and February in the city of which I have spoken, he sets off in March and travels southward to within two days' journey of the Ocean. He is accompanied by fully 10,000 falconers and takes with him fully 5,000 gerfalcons and peregrine falcons and sakers in great abundance, besides a quantity of goshawks for hawking along the riversides."

The degree to which Khubilai Khan affected a sinicized image has long been a subject for debate amongst historians and bears scrutiny in the design of this exhibition.

A critical fact that should be made known to exhibition visitors is that Khubilai Khan preferred to sleep every night in a Mongolian ger instead of inside the royal palace. This essential facet of his daily existence is important evidence of his determination not to allow his Mongol way of life to be displaced by sinicization in keeping with the Yasa of Chinggis Khan which was Mongol customary law for "all people who live in felt tents."

One aspect of Mongol culture that remained unquestionably unchanged during the Mongol-China period was the Mongol-equestrian lifestyle and the Mongol love of horses. Equestrian art naturally blossomed during the Yuan Dynasty and Chinese artists dutifully produced a veritable encyclopedia of horse and rider art.

Chinese artists worked hard to please the Mongol court and so there is a large body of Yuan art that includes horses in such magnificent depictions as Ren Renfa's scroll painting titled, "Nine Horses."

Horse and Rider, Yuan Dynasty.

Nine Horses, Ren Renfa, Yuan Dynasty.

Cup and Saucer, Yuan Dynasty.

Cloth of Gold with Winged Lions and Griffins. Central Asia, 1240 - 1260.

There is representation of many important Mongol cultural contributions including the Mongol court’s introduction of Nasij cloth of gold made of silk and gold threads which is recognized as a Mongol innovation introduced to China during the Yuan period. The accompanying exhibition catalog introduces as to the Mongol Princess Sennge Ragi, a preeminent Mongol patron of the arts and sister of the Yuan emperors Wuzong and Renzong.

Bottle, Porcelain with underglaze copper red decoration.

The steady flow of traders, imperial court officers, and artisans between the Ilkhanid courts in Persia, the Chaghatay court in Central Asia and the Yuan court in China promoted an unprecedented degree of artistic and cultural cross-pollination which gave rise to newly developed hybrid artworks in Mongol-China. Blue and white Persian ceramics with their novel underglaze method took hold during the Yuan and became iconic symbols of Mongol influence on the arts of China.

Mongol imperial patronage strongly encouraged the performing arts and is given its due credit which helped carry stage performances to unprecedented heights and spread to southern China. Scores of performing troupes and hundreds of prominent actors resided in Dadu during the Yuan period.

Troupe of Actors in Performance, 1324. Minyingwang Hall , Shanxi Province.

Bodhisattva Avalokitshvara, 1282, Fig. 139

The Mongols introduced Indo-Himalayan style to China during the Yuan period. “Koden a grand son of Chinggis Khan…took the great scholar Kunga Gyaltsen, known as Sakya Pandita (1182 – 1251) to the Mongol capital at Liangzhou around 1245, ostensibly to encourage the popular understanding and acceptance of later Esoteric Buddhism, which was adopted as the state religion by Khubilai Khan in 1268. Sakya Pandita was accompanied to China by nephew Chogyal Phagspa (1235 – 1280).”(Excerpted from exhibition catalog.)

Phagspa Lama was commissioned to create a script that would be better for rendering the Mongolian language than Chinese script. This newly created script called Phagspa was much better suited to spoken Mongolian and Khubilai tried in vain to make it the official court script. Along with Phagspa was a young master artist from Nepal named Anige. He was named Director of All Artisan Classes in 1273 and trained many Chinese craftsmen in the Sakya style.

Bodhisattva Manjushri, c. 1305.

In matters of religion Khubilai Khan's rule championed religious tolerence and the Mongol court was a rich mix of peoples and religious beliefs. Khubilai oversaw vigorous debates between Buddhist and Daoist scholars and ultimately ruled in favor of the Buddhists. After Khubilai embraced Tibetan Buddhism, the Daoists were relegated to the backseat of the Mongol court for the duration of the Yuan Dynasty.

Not mentioned in the exhibition wall panel texts or catalog is the presence of shamanistic practices maintained at the Yuan court. The prevalence of Yuan Dynasty shamanistic court rituals is confirmed by the following passage from the book titled The Mongol Empire & its Legacy by Reuven Amitai-Preiss and David Morgan,“It is clear that throughout the Yuan period, shamans continued to play an important role at the court of the imperial Mongols. The Yuan dynastic history (Yüan shih) in fact includes a section entitled “Dynastic customs and old rituals” (kuo-su chiu-li), much of which is devoted to descriptions of shamans presiding over seasonal ceremonies.”

Mandala of Yamantaka-Vajrabhairava,
ca. 1330–32, Yuan Dynasty

"Central Asian tapestry-weaving techniques and Indo-Himalayan imagery are here combined to stunning effect in this spectacular mandala, which was most likely used during an initiation ceremony at court. The donors at the bottom left are identified by Tibetan inscriptions as two of Khubilai Khan's great-grandsons: Tugh Temür, who reigned twice as emperor between 1328 and 1332, and his brother Khoshila, who reigned briefly in 1329. Their respective spouses are shown at the far right. This combination of individuals helps date the work to the period between 1330 and 1332." (Excerpted from MET website.)

Tugh Temür,and his brother Khoshila.

The World of Khubilai Khan: Chinese Art in the Yuan Dynasty is a good introduction to the rich cultural history of Mongol-China and hopefully it will inspire the viewer to look deeper into historical accounts to learn more about Khubilai Khan and the extraordinary history of the Mongols during their reign in China.

Sources: The History of Mongolia, Vol. 2 David Sneath & Christopher Kaplonski, pgs. 417,418,

The Mongol Empire & its Legacy by Reuven Amitai-Preiss and David Morgan, pg. 225

“Mongolia: Land of the Deer Stone”

2010-09-16T01:08:00.000-07:00

“Mongolia: Land of the Deer Stone” by Elaine Ling

Gazing at “Mongolia: Land of the Deer Stone,” Elaine Ling’s new book of photographs is like visiting a distant portal that transports one into the past lives and living culture in the ancient landscapes of Mongolia.

This hardcover coffee table format book is printed on pleasing heavy stock with 116 black and white photos comprising sections devoted to studies of: The Land, Shamanistic Markings, Deer Stones, The Nomads, Ger Interiors, Buddhism, and Turkic Stones.

Wielding a large format 4x5 view camera with tack-sharp resolution, Ling’s photography establishes the timeless context of Mongolia's rugged terrain through galvanizing renderings of ancient canyons, gnarly rock formations, the Gobi Desert, the Flaming Cliffs and seemingly endless horizons. These stark studies make a strong case for Mongolia being the home of the quintessential, ancient Asian Badlands.

Ling’s images of the Shaman ovoos, sacred stone markers covered with horse skulls, branches and prayers scarves billowing in the wind evoke the spirits of the land through assemblages formed by the contributions of wayside travelers. The photographer’s intimate portrait of Mongolia’s famed Deer Stones somehow humanizes these stoic stone monoliths with their enigmatic faces and engaging eye-level gaze, seemingly at once alive and moribund.

Working with the challenging large format Polaroid film, Elaine Ling has assembled a series of Mongolian nomad family portraits of which several convey the warmth, nobility and enduring strength of the Mongolian people. The group photos inside the traditional gers carry the spark of collective joy at the moment of exposure.

“Mongolia: Land of the Deer Stone,” is a photographic bridge between the ancient and contemporary, anthropology study and personal guide taking us into the lives once lived whose living heritage lingers on today, timeless and eternal.

Lodima Press, Pennsylvania
Only 1000 copies printed,
US $ 98.00

New York Times Article - Bitter Spring for Mongolia's Nomads

2010-05-20T00:53:00.000-07:00

Photo: Gilles Sabrie for The New York Times

By ANDREW JACOBS - New York Times
Published: May 19, 2010

Winter Leaves Mongolians a Harvest of Carcasses
SOUTH HANGAY PROVINCE, Mongolia — They call it the zud, a prolonged period of heavy snows and paralyzing cold that adds to the challenges of living on a treeless expanse nearly the size of Alaska. But this year’s zud followed a punishing summer drought that stunted the grass and left Munkhbat Lkhagvasuren’s herds emaciated and his family in debt after borrowing money for fodder.

The yurt of a herder who lost 280 of his 300 animals over the winter.
The New York Times

About 17 percent of Mongolia’s livestock died, the United Nations says.

As the snow piled waist high this winter and temperatures plunged to 40 below zero, Mr. Lkhagvasuren crammed two dozen of the weakest goats and sheep into his yurt. The unlucky ones, more than 1,000 animals, froze to death in a great heap outside his front door. “I tried everything but could not fight against nature,” he said tearfully in a recent interview, the stench of rotting flesh overpowering despite a devilish wind. “I am broken and lost.”

Mongolia and its 800,000 herders are reeling from the worst winter that anyone can remember. According to United Nations relief officials, nearly eight million cows, yaks, camels, horses, goats and sheep died, about 17 percent of the country’s livestock. Even if the spring rains arrive soon, 500,000 more animals are expected to succumb in the coming weeks.

“This is not only a catastrophe for the herders but for the entire Mongolian economy,” said Akbar Usmani, the resident representative for the United Nations Development Program. “We expect the ripple effects for months and years to come.”

The last serious zuds, three consecutive harsh winters between 1999 and 2002, sent thousands of destitute nomads streaming into the capital, Ulan Bator. A decade later, their tattered yurts still crowd bleak neighborhoods on the city’s fringe as the former herders struggle to fit into the modern world. The United Nations estimates that the current disaster may prompt as many as 20,000 herders to abandon their nomadic life and flee to the city.

“A lot of the herders have no skills so they usually end up breaking the law and falling into poverty,” said Buyanbadrakh, the governor of a small administrative district, known as a soum, who like some Mongolians uses a single name. He said 70 percent of the livestock in his soum, Zuunbayan-ulaan, were wiped out this year with at least 2,800 families losing their entire herds.

With so many desperate nomads selling off their remaining animals to survive, the price of meat has dropped by half in recent months. “People are taking it very hard,” he said. “Some have gone crazy.”

The disaster poses a challenge to a government already struggling to address the needs of the third of the population that lives in poverty. But it also raises a host of thorny questions about climate change, environmental degradation and whether the pastoral way of life that sustains many of the country’s 3 million people has a future.

Mongolians are fiercely proud of their millenniums-old nomadic ways, best personified by the deification of Genghis Khan, the 13th-century leader whose horseback warriors conquered much of Asia and Eastern Europe. Although mining and tourism are a growing portion of the Mongolian economy, a third of the population still depends entirely on husbandry for its livelihood. “The key question we have to ask is whether this way of life is sustainable,” said Mr. Usmani of the United Nations. “It’s a very sensitive issue.”

Despite the severe winter, one of the more sensitive long-term issues, oddly, is how to curb the explosive growth in livestock, which has quadrupled to 40 million head since the 1990 revolution that ushered in democracy and ended a socialist system that tightly controlled the size of the nation’s herds to prevent overgrazing. Environmentalists and government officials agree that the two decades of unbridled privatization and a boom in cashmere exports upended the traditional mix of livestock, which had long favored sheep over goats.

In the past, sheep made up 80 percent of small-animal herds and goats the rest. But as the price of cashmere soared over the last decade, that ratio reversed, with devastating results for the ecology of the steppe. Voracious eaters, goats often destroy the grass by nibbling at the roots. Their sharp hooves also damage fragile pasture by breaking up the protective tangle of grass and lichens, allowing the wind to sweep away topsoil and encouraging desertification.

The other wildcard is climate change, which many herders blame for the increasingly inhospitable weather. Winters are longer and colder, the winds blow stronger and the summers, they say, are drier. “I don’t know what happened to the mild spring rains that the grass needs to drink,” said Degkhuu, 62, a lifelong herder who lost his entire flock. “Now, when the rains come they are heavy and create flash floods.”

A recent World Bank study found that hundreds of rivers and lakes had disappeared in Mongolia, and the diversity of plant species had plummeted by a third since 1997, although researchers partly blamed the proliferation of goats.

For the moment, the government is focused on clearing the millions of dead animals that litter the grasslands and are beginning to decompose now that spring has finally arrived. A work-for-cash program, financed with a $1.5 million grant from the United Nations, pays herders to gather the carcasses and bury them in pits. It is grim work, but those lucky enough to get a spot on the crews are happy for the income.

At best, the money will only delay a looming crisis among families who have run out of food and are saddled with bank loans they took on to buy emergency feed. Mr. Lkhagvasuren, 34, the herder who lost 1,000 animals, said he owed over $1,800, a huge sum given that the average Mongolian earns $3,200 a year. He said he lost most of his most prized animals — horses, cows and about 200 yaks — and that it would take at least a decade to replenish his herd of goats and sheep, about 100 of which survived.

As he sat in his yurt drinking salty milk tea and smoking tobacco rolled in a strip of newsprint, a crew dragged off the carcasses and heaved them into rickety trucks. “I can’t bear to watch,” he said.

Building the Mongolian Morin Khuur

2009-10-27T09:01:00.000-07:00

The most prominent musical instrument in Mongolia is also the most highly acclaimed and greatly beloved symbol of Mongolian culture. No other instrument holds the place and prominence in Mongolian society as the Morin Khuur which is known as the horse-head fiddle outside of Mongolia. The crafting of the Morin Khuur as depicted in the following photos takes place in stages over several weeks and involves the skills of different specialists.

Unfinished carved Morin Khuur heads.

Finished Morin Khuur head and neck.

Carving the Morin Khuur head.

Crafting the neck of the Morin Khuur.

Preparing the Morin Khuur sound box.

Khoomei-Taiko Ensemble

2009-10-12T20:45:00.000-07:00

World Music Institute presents:

Throat Songs and Drums

Khoomei-Taiko Ensemble

Friday, October 16, 2009 8:00PM

Peter Norton Symphony Space

Broadway at 95th Street

Mongolian, Japanese and US artists come together for a fascinating collaboration, highlighting the popular Mongolian art of khoomei (throat singing) with the driving rhythms of Japanese taiko (drums). The Khoomei-Taiko Ensemble features Shinetsog Dorjnyam (khoomei), Shoji Kameda and Tetsuro Naito (taiko), the legendary folk musician Tserendorj Tseyen (magtaal-praise songs, morin khuur - horsehead fiddle, jaw harp), Kaoru Watanabe (fue and Noh Kan-flutes) and Miki Maruta (koto - zither). The program also includes the captivating voice of Mongolia ’s urtiin duu (long song) vocalist Khongorzul Ganbaatar, a featured artist in Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Project. NY debut.

This program is supported in part by the Trust for Mutual Understanding, the Asian Cultural Council, the Japan Foundation through the Performing Arts JAPAN program, and American Express.

Tickets $25; WMI Friends $21; Students $18

Info&Tix: 212-545-7536

Box office: 212-864-5400

More Info: http://worldmusicinstitute.org/event.php?id=906

Book review - “ The Role of Women in the Altaic World”

2008-12-19T03:14:00.000-08:00

“The Role of Women in the Altaic World” edited by Veronica Veit.
Published by Harrassowitz Verlag, 2007.

The publishing house of Harrassowitz Verlag has released a very important volume of great scholarly value for researchers interested in the role of women in Altaic-nomadic societies from the earliest periods. Titled, “The Role of Women in the Altaic World” this work presents a copious series of well documented essays edited by Veronica Veit. These articles collectively survey a broad range of Altaic nomadic states including Mongol, Turkic, Manchus and the position they historically accorded women – which is refreshingly far more empowered in many instances than those of their sedentary counterparts.

Secenmonke’s article, “The Role of Women in Traditional Mongolian Society” illuminates the mythical monsters in ‘Gesar’s Tale’ which are tamed by the wise sisters of Gesar and provide him “with sense and wisdom in order to appease warfare on earth.” Secenmonke cites passages from the ‘Secret History of the Mongols’ and other historical sources to demonstrate the high status of women in traditional Mongolian society and introduces legendary Mongolian queen-regents Mandukhai Secen and Juggen Khatun who rose to power during periods of crises.

In the article titled, “Compared With the Women the…Menfolk have little Business of their own.” – Gender Division of Labour in the History of the Mongols” by Barbara Frey Naf, we learn about the relatively equal sharing of work duties among Mongol nomads. Naf ‘s contemporary observations made during visits to Mongolia from 1980 to 2001 are counter-balanced by her citations from13th century sources which bear out the importance Mongols placed on women and men having the ability to cooperatively address tasks that range from felt-making, assembling and disassembling gers, herding, butchering animals and calving. The author establishes the central role that Mongol women have historically held and provides them with “ a high degree of self-reliance and to their having a very strong influence on decision-making processes at family level.”

“Manchu Women of the Early Stage: Fantasy and Reality” by Alessandra Pozzi takes us into the world of the Manchu court intrigues and customs from the dynastic founder Nurhaci to Yongzheng. We learn about the Manchu requirement that Manchu royalty had to marry within their own community which also required that after their husband’s death the widow had to “follow in-death” and take their own lives. This custom was finally abolished by the enlightened rule of Emperor Kangxi in 1688 who also put in place several other reforms that were iconoclastic and farsighted. The powerful role of Manchu women was probably best epitomized by the Empress Dowager Cixi who dominated the Manchu court till 1908.

Mark I. Gol’man’s article “The Mongolian Women in the Russian Archives of the XVIIth Century” unveils a treasure trove of historical gems that document the prominent involvement of Mongolian noblewomen in Mongol-Russian diplomatic interplay. These documents are being published by the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences in four volumes and cover the period from 1667 to 1756.

Beginning with Secin Khatun (Nomakhu Holaci), the mother of Altan Khan the Mongol sovereign who ruled till 1657, Gol’man depicts the elaborate reception she provided to all Russian envoys traveling to the Mongol rulers’ court. In one instance when a Russian envoy named Drushina Ogarkov showed her disrespect she had the Czar punish and publicly whip Ogarkov followed by his imprisonment in Tobolsk. The Secin Khatun was not only present at important political negotiations with the Russian delegations but she also advised Altan Khan during these proceedings and apparently influenced his stance that Mongolia remain independent in the face of Russian pressure.

Gol’man brings home the critically important role that Mongol queen-regents played in political history including Altan Khan’s wife Akhai Khatun who negotiated directly with the Russian envoys after Altan Khan’s death. She declined a Russian proposal to make the Mongol court a subject of the Moscow Czar, “declaring proudly that the Mongol rulers and Mongol people had never been anyone’s subordinates.”

“The Role of Women in the Altaic World” is heartily recommended for its depth of spirited scholarship on this important subject which provides essential perspective and understanding of the tumultuous and vibrant dynamics of Altaic societies gender relations.

Mongolia Wins its First Olympics Gold Medal

2008-08-18T10:55:00.000-07:00

Tuvshinbayar Naidan after Winning Olympics Gold

BEIJING (AP) — Mongolia won its first gold medal in Olympic history Thursday, with Tuvshinbayar Naidan beating Kazakhstan's Askhat Zhitkeyev in men's 100-kilogram judo.

Naidan, who upset Athen's Olympic champion Keiji Suzuki of Japan in his opening bout, scored a waza ari with just under two minutes remaining, then added on two yuko to seal the victory.

A Child Jockey’s Rise on the Steppes of Mongolia

2008-07-10T19:42:00.000-07:00

A Child Jockey’s Rise on the Steppes of Mongolia

By EDWARD WONG

Published by The New York Times July 11, 2008

Children as young as five ride in horse races in Mongolia. Jockeys at a race in Khui Doloon Khudag, Mongolia.

Photo by Shiho Fukada for The New York Times

KHUI DOLOON KHUDAG, Mongolia — The boy rode the stallion in a trot around the camp, cooling it down after a long gallop across the steppe. He was humming his favorite Mongolian hip-hop songs, by groups like Tartar, Flash and Guy 666.
Nearby, in the family’s round felt tent, the boy’s father ran a wire from a satellite dish to a big-screen television. His mother paced around in high-heeled boots.

“When I’m in the city, I miss my horses,” the boy, Munkherdene, 13, said. “When I’m in the countryside, I miss my friends and games. I really miss my PlayStation.”

Such is the life of a city slicker turned child jockey in the wilds of Mongolia.

Munkherdene and his family, who like most people here go by their given names, are among a growing number of Mongolians from the traffic-choked capital, Ulan Bator, trying to get back to their nomadic roots. The boy’s father is a successful businessman, importing electronics, bicycles and mining equipment from Japan. But like many affluent Mongolians these days, he also breeds racehorses.

“This summer, I was going to send him to Singapore to improve his English,” the father, Enkhbayar, 49, said of his son. “But he decided to stay with me to help with the horses.”

Horse racing is becoming an industry across the same Central Asian steppes where Genghis Khan and his warrior hordes once galloped. The biggest race of the year takes place this weekend 30 miles west of the capital.

It is part of the annual Naadam Festival, a gathering that matters more to Mongolians than the Olympics. Children as young as 5 ride in races that can be dangerous, with hundreds of horses thundering across the open plain at once, running at speeds approaching 50 miles per hour. All told, more than 1,800 horses will race over the weekend.

As the competition intensifies, businessmen are importing larger horses from foreign lands to breed with the small Mongolian horses, the prize money is getting heftier and owners are transporting horses to competitions in trucks and trailers rather than riding them.

Other traditions are changing, too. Horse racing is among what Mongolians call the “three manly sports”(alongside wrestling and archery), but female jockeys have started to appear.

At its heart, though, horse racing is still as rustic an experience here as drinking fermented mare’s milk, and as deeply embedded in the culture.

Munkherdene and Enkhbayar spend their summers traveling across the country from race to race, sleeping in the family’s richly appointed traditional tent, or ger, one that cost thousands of dollars and elicits approving looks from passers-by.

“The best thing is the air, and horse riding, and when it rains,” Munkherdene said one evening, as a double rainbow arced across the plains following a twilight thunderstorm.

The family drove out to the electric-green grasslands of the raceground on Tuesday from their apartment in Ulan Bator. For this occasion they set up two gers, one for sleeping and another for cooking. Their eight racehorses were tethered to posts, brought here by a half-dozen men hired as trainers.

The family owns more than 100 horses, which they keep in Tov, a rural province that surrounds Ulan Bator. The horses graze on property where Enkhbayar’s grandparents once lived. His father, who worked in the capital for a state-run publishing house, took him there during the summers, teaching him to ride and care for the animals.

Now he is doing the same for his son.

“Horse owners usually don’t let their sons or daughters race their horses,” Enkhbayar said. “But I let my son start racing three years ago. It’s important to have him inherit the knowledge of horses from me. He’ll continue to train horses.”

When a cold wind blows across these plains, as it does even in the summer, Enkhbayar puts on a thick brown robe called a del. A broad man with a dark, creased face and a wispy goatee, he could play the lead role in a biopic of Genghis Khan.
“Now, there are lots of differences between city and country people,” he said. “For example, my son’s classmates want to ride horses in the countryside, but they’ve never tried before. They’re like foreigners because they don’t understand animals.”

Enkhbayar, a father of four, watched as Munkherdene jumped off the stallion and hitched it to a post. He seems like any 13-year-old boy from any world capital. Last month, he stayed up late to watch matches of the Euro 2008 soccer tournament. He wears a red Manchester United shirt. His favorite PlayStation games are NBA Street and FIFA Street.

Munkherdene turned away in disgust one night when a man slaughtered a goat and a sheep outside the family’s kitchen ger. Every teenage boy in the countryside learns how to do this.

“I’ve never done it,” he said. “Sometimes I even want to beat the man doing it.”

His family is one of dozens that set up gers at midweek here, on the raceground called Khui Doloon Khudag, which means Navel of the Seven Wells.

Some of the families are nomads arriving from hundreds of miles away with simple plastic tents and one or two racehorses. Others bring dozens of horses and erect elaborate gers larger than a typical Manhattan studio apartment. (They take several hours to set up.) By Thursday, the place had become the Mongolian equivalent of a state fairground. There were restaurant gers and souvenir gers and trading gers.

Until the 20th century, horses were in the blood of all Mongolians. Their language has more than 70 words to describe the animals’ coloring. When a great horse dies, its skull is placed atop a cairn on a mountain, and Mongolians make offerings at those sites. Mongolian horses are short and stubby, but that is exactly what helped Genghis Khan conquer half the known world. His warriors could leap on and off their horses in the middle of battle. They also learned to whirl around and shoot arrows while riding away from their enemies.

“My friends always ask me so many questions about horses,” Munkherdene said. “I was 8 or 9 when I first rode a horse. I was very eager to ride a horse, and if someone didn’t let me ride, I’d cry. My father had fast horses, racing horses, and I’d gallop on them. My father would get very angry.”

A racehorse costs anywhere from $300 to more than $80,000, Enkhbayar said. One of his favorite horses is Jiinst, the stallion that Munkherdene was riding. Jiinst’s father was a prize-winning stallion, and Enkhbayar bought Jiinst for breeding purposes when the horse was just 2 years old.

Some businessmen buy larger horses from abroad — Russia, the Arabian Peninsula, Pakistan, China — for breeding purposes. “We have a belief that stallions and mares, if they’re from far away, they’ll produce fast horses,” he said. “So it doesn’t matter if horses are from foreign countries. But the problem with foreign horses is taking care of them in the winter.”

Prize money can be big by Mongolian standards. The top prize at Naadam is 1,000,000 togrog, or $870. Prizes at smaller, more select competitions can be even larger — a sport utility vehicle, for instance.

Enkhbayar said his horses had won more than 10 medals. Half are pinned to a swatch of red cloth he keeps in the ger. None of the 10 were won by his son, however.

On Tuesday night, while munching on sheep organs, Enkhbayar was weighing whether to let his son race this weekend. Had Munkherdene grown too heavy? Would he slow the horse down?

The next morning brought more concerns. A heavy rainstorm had swept across the plain. Enkhbayar and his horsemen threw plastic tarpaulins over the eight racehorses.

“If it rains a lot, I worry,” he said. “The horses could catch cold. Their noses might run.”

The normal training routine is to gallop the horses once a day to make them break a sweat. Heavy rains can prevent that, and it had rained seven of the last nine days. By midafternoon, blue sky began peeking through the clouds. And Enkhbayar had decided that Munkherdene would ride in what was likely to be his last chance to race in Naadam.

“If I place in the top five, I’ll be so happy,” Munkherdene said. “Maybe I’ll cry.”

Enkhbayar had other hopes. Next year, he said, his 4-year-old son would start learning to ride.

Siberian, Native American Languages Linked -- A First

2008-05-15T15:27:00.000-07:00

Siberian, Native American Languages Linked -- A First

From National Geographic News http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/03/080326-language-link.html

John Roach
for National Geographic News

March 26, 2008

Since at least 1923 researchers have suggested a connection exists between Asian and North American languages—but this is the first time a link has been demonstrated with established standards, said Vajda, who has studied the relationship for more than 15 years.
Previous researchers had provided lists of similar-sounding and look-alike words, but their methods were unscientific. Such similarities, Vajda noted, are likely to be dismissed as coincidence even if they represent genuine evidence.
So Vajda developed another method. "I'm providing a whole system of [similar] vocabulary and also of grammatical parallels—the way that verb prefixes are structured," he said.

Dying Tongue

His research links the Old World language family of Yeniseic in central Siberia with the Na-Dene family of languages in North America.
The Yeniseic family includes the extinct languages Yugh, Kott, Assan, Arin, and Pumpokol. Ket is the only Yeniseic language spoken today. Less than 200 speakers remain and most are over 50, according to Vajda.
"Within a couple of generations, Ket will probably become extinct," he said.

The Na-Dene family includes languages spoken by the broad group of Athabaskan tribes in the U.S. and Canada as well as the Tlingit and Eyak people. The last Eyak speaker died in January. Vajda presented the findings in February at a meeting of linguists at the Alaska Native Language Center in Fairbanks. Vajda established the Yeniseic-Na-Dene link by looking for languages with a verb-prefix system similar to those in Yeniseic languages. Such prefixes are unlike any other language in North Asia. "Only Na-Dene languages have a system of verb prefixes that very closely resemble the Yeniseic," he said.

From there, Vajda found several dozen cognates—or words in different languages that sound alike and have the same meaning.
The results dovetail with earlier work by Merritt Ruhlen, an anthropologist at Stanford University in California who Vajda said discovered the first genuine Na-Dene-Yeniseic cognates. Vajda also showed how these cognates have sound correspondences. "I systematically connect these structures in Yeniseic with the structures in modern Na-Dene," Vajda said. "My comparisons aren't just lists of some look-alike words … I show there is a system behind it."

Marina Irikova, who lives in Kellog village in Siberia, is one of only 200 people who still speak Ket, part of an Old World language family called Yeniseic.

Johanna Nichols is a linguist at the University of California in Berkeley who attended the Alaska meeting where Vajda presented his research.
With the exception of the Eskimo-Aleut family that straddles the Bering Strait and Aleutian Islands, this is "the first successful demonstration of any connection between a New World language and an Old World language," Nichols said.

Mother Tongue

Vajda said his research puts linguistics on the same stage as archaeology, anthropology, and genetics when it comes to studying the history of humans in North Asia and North America. However, the research has not revealed which language came first. Neither modern Ket nor Na-Dene languages in North America represent the mother tongue.

For example, some words in the Na-Dene family likely represent sounds of the mother tongue more closely than their Yeniseic cognates. Other words in Yeniseic, however, are probably more archaic. Based on archaeological evidence of human migrations across the Bering land bridge, the language link may extend back at least 10,000 years.

If true, according to Vajda, this would be the oldest known demonstrated language link.
But more research is needed to determine when the languages originated and how they became a part of various cultures before such a claim will be accepted, according to UC Berkeley linguist Nichols.
"I don't think there is any reason to assume the connection is [10,000 years] old … this must surely be one late episode in a much longer and more complicated history of settlement," she said.

" MY BEAUTIFUL JINJIIMAA " - Mongolian Film

2008-03-16T00:19:00.001-07:00

" MY BEAUTIFUL JINJIIMAA " Directed by Ochir Mashbat.

"My Beautiful Jinjimaa" is a moving, emotional Mongolian film about the deep love and great sacrifices of a handicapped man for the love of a woman and her child. "My Beautiful Jinjimaa" takes us into the life of a Mongol family struggling with the harsh emotional realities of personal tragedy while trying to preserve their fragile existence in the extreme cold of Mongolia's bitter winter.

This well directed film by Ochir Mashbat, epitomizes the new Mongolian cinema which address the social divisions between modern urban Mongolians and the traditional values of Mongol nomadic culture. The main actors Natsagdorj Battsetseg, Purevdorj Tserendagva, and Dorjgotov Gantsetseg draw out strong emotion with their compassionate expressions of enduring love.

Now available at Amazon: "My Beautiful Jinjimaa"

Khadak DVD Released on March 4th, 2008

2008-03-06T18:37:00.000-08:00

'Khadak'

Scene from Khadak

Scene from Khadak

The 'Khadak' DVD was officially released on March 4th, 2008.

'Khadak' has already won important honors internationally including Batzul Khayankhyarvaa and Tsetsegee Byamba who has just won Best Actor and Best Actress in Singapore at the First Asian Films Festival on December 4th. Tsetsegee was in attendance and received the Swarovski statues on stage at the Raffles Hotel.

'Khadak' Website: http://www.khadak.com

Mongolian Art Lecture at Rubin Museum of Art - March 6th, 2008

2008-02-28T10:23:00.001-08:00

"Ger" by Tsegmed, 2002

The Rubin Museum of Art will present a lecture titled, "Nomadic art of the Mongols" by Orna Uranchimeg-Tsultem on Thursday, March 6, 2008 at 1:00pm. Orna Uranchimeg-Tsultem's specialty is the art of Mongolia and Tibet.

She studied the modern art of Mongolia prior to her present PhD studies at UC Berkeley. As an assistant professor at the Mongolian University of Arts and Culture, she has curated Mongolian exhibitions internationally and published on Mongolian modern art. Since 2002, she has been the curator of the largest existing collection of Mongolian modern art, at the Khan Bank in Mongolia. She is currently a PhD candidate in History of Art at UC Berkeley.

This event is free with admission to RMA, and free for RMA Members.

Location: Rubin Museum of Art
150 West 17th Street
New York, NY 10011

Event Date/Time: Thursday, March 6, 2008 at 1:00pm to 2:00pm.

Contact - 212.620.5000

Mongol Cultural Impact on Hollywood and Entertainment Media

2008-02-27T10:23:00.000-08:00

Mongol Cultural Impact on Modern Art and Culture

2008-02-22T11:37:00.001-08:00

The impact of Mongol culture and history on modern popular culture can be seen in several instances in contemporary art, Hollywood films, literature, news media, video games and other arenas of popular culture.From the borrowing of traditional Mongolian costumes, facial makeup and hairstyles by George Lucas and costume designer Trisha Biggar for the Star Wars films to book jacket covers by designer Tibor Kalman, Mongolian culture and history occupies a distinct place in modern cultural history.

Advertisement for Brunello Cucinelli

Book cover, title "(Un) FASHION"

by Tibor Kalman and Maira Kalman.

Published by Harry Abrams
ISBN: 0-8109-9229-9

This book titled, " (un) FASHION " by Tibor Kalman and Maira Kalman is a global photographic survey of native fashion-sense and presents indigenous peoples from almost every corner of the planet dressed in traditional costumes in their cultural context.

Tibor Kalman was considered a design genius in his time, whose fascination with the creative ways people around the world choose to adorn themselves is vividly on display in this book, and on the book cover, which shows a Mongol couple dressed in traditional Mongol del looking quite stylish in the Gobi desert.

Artwork titled: "Cry Dragon/Cry Wolf: The Ark of Genghis Khan"

Artist: Cai Guo-Qaing

Shown in 1996 at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City.

Materials: 108 sheepskin bags, wooden branches, paddles, rope, 9 Toyota engines, cover page and excerpts from periodicals.

Dimensions: 350 x 1986 x 261 cm

( This artwork was comprised of ) “a gigantic boat made of logs and inflated sheepskins ineffectually powered by a brace of Toyota engines. Cross-wiring temporal references to conjure all manner of Asian invasions - from the Mongols, who used similar sheepskin devices to ford rivers, to Japanese cars - this dragon's immobility belied its roar, though its grandiose scale amounted to a sort of theatrical efficacy. Unfortunately, the circus-like ambiance of the exhibition as a whole emphasized that grandiosity rather than the work's humor or bizarre material presence.”

Quote from Barry Schwabsky on Highbeam Encyclopedia, 1997.

The Tofa People

2008-01-28T22:58:00.001-08:00

Tofalaria - The Land of the Tofa People

The Tofa are an ancient minority people living across from the northern-most parts of Mongolia between Tuva and Buryatia. Numbering only a few hundred now, the Tofa as a people might become obsolete within the next decade according to some scholars. Their language in now spoken only by a few dozen elderly Tofa and will most likely die out with them. The ancient Tofa traditions of herding reindeer and hunting for food and hides is part of a way of life that has reached the end of its road in a final meeting with modernity.

Tofa Hunter, photo by Vladimir Sorin
Photo courtesy: Cultural Survival Quarterly

' Kiran Over Mongolia ' - New York City Screening December 22nd, 2007

2007-12-19T17:14:00.000-08:00

'Kiran Over Mongolia' Screening December 22nd, 2007

Scandinavia House will present a screening of 'Kiran Over Mongolia' on December 22nd 2007 at 5:30 pm.

Director Joseph Spaid will introduce his film which has been garnered much praise in its showings around the world.

There will also be a live bird of prey demonstration along with a Kazakh folk instrument performance.

'Kiran Over Mongolia' website: www.kiranovermongolia.com/

The event location is Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue at 37th Street.

Mongolian Film 'Khadak' Opening in New York City, October 12th, 2007

2007-09-30T08:54:00.000-07:00

Khadak

An important upcoming Mongolian cultural event this fall is the opening of the award winning Mongolian film KHADAK in New York City on Oct. 12th, Chicago on Oct. 19th, Seattle on Nov. 2, and San Francisco on Nov. 9th, with more dates to follow. See below for synopsis and info, more available at www.khadak.com

Set in the frozen steppes of Mongolia, KHADAK is a magical-realist fable, which tells the epic story of Bagi (Batzul Khayankhyarvaa,) a young nomad shepherd who confronts his destiny to become a shaman. After a plague strikes their herd, Bagi and his family are relocated to a mining town. There, he saves the life of Zolzaya (Tsetsegee Byamba,) a beautiful performer/coal thief. When Bagi discovers that the plague was a government lie fabricated to eradicate nomadic life, he and Zolzaya incite a revolution. Bagi's shaman powers help rally his people, but will they ever be able to return to their former lives?

Documentarian Peter Brosens is known for his internationally acclaimed Mongolia trilogy (CITY OF THE STEPPES, STATE OF DOGS, and POETS OF MONGOLIA), which screened at over 100 festivals including Venice and Toronto. Also trained in documentary filmmaking, Jessica Woodworth’s first film, URGA SONG, was shot in Mongolia. It was followed by Morocco-shot THE VIRGIN DIARIES, which was nominated for the FIPRESCI Award by the International Documentary Film Association. KHADAK is their first feature film.

“Brosens and Woodworth have a directorial touch to match the ravishing landscapes and flinty people. It's part political thriller, part social document.”
Time Magazine

The Historical Role of Women in Mongolian Society and Culture

2007-09-15T14:55:00.001-07:00

Cover Photo from 1980' Pamphlet titled, "Women of The Socialist Mongolia"

The role of Mongolian women in Mongolian society and culture has been prominent in large part due to the need for sharing the Mongolian nomadic life style's strenuous herding and household workloads in an extreme climate. Mongolian women have been known historically for their physical strength, bravery, and devotion to family.

From the earliest Mongolian history available to us we can see the deep bond between Mongolian women and their children. In the most important Mongolian historical account available to us, 'The Secret History of the Mongols' written in the thirteenth century, we can read of numerous episodes in the life of Chigghis Khan and his family where the actions of his mother and wife were pivotal to his life and those of his descendants.

Chinggis Khan's deep love and respect for his wife Borte is depicted through the telling of several historical passages in 'The Secret History of the Mongols'. We see the powerful influence of Khubilai Khan's mother in his development and eventual rise to power and rule over all China.

During the period when Mongolia was under Soviet influence, Mongolian women had good access to education and training in many fields including areas which were the traditional sphere's of male dominance. Mongolian women today are prominent in many fields including,science, government, education, international relations, and business.

Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia

2007-09-13T10:59:00.000-07:00

Closer View of Ulaan Baatar

Distant View of Ulaan Baatar

Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia's capital city has existed in name since 1639. Originally Ulaan Baatar meaning 'Red Hero' was located at the monastry of Da Khuree about 421km from modern-day Ulaan Baatar. This nomadic national capital has been moved from several locations more than a dozen times. Today more than a million people live in Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia's largest city.

Mongolian Traditional Cultural Themes in Mongolia Today

2007-09-05T12:18:00.000-07:00

Billboard for Mongolian Historical Opera in Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia

Mongolian traditional culture has evolved and adapted to modern audiences in Mongolia by appealing to Mongolian people's interest in historical dramas which have the universal themes of love stories, heroes, heroines, and windswept landscapes.

The success of these historical period dramas on Mongolian television, on stage, in film and even opera conveys the lasting power of ancient traditional symbols and historical characters. Mongolian culture has thus far managed to combine some of the old cultural themes for modern Mongolians, thus preserving what is classical form and presenting it through very modern production media and methods.

Time will tell if these ancient themes will be able to attract the young Mongolian audiences which comprise the majority of Mongolia's population.

Sun and Clouds, Hovsgol Aimag

2007-09-02T01:47:00.001-07:00

Sun and Clouds, Hovsgol Aimag

Rain Clouds in Hovsgol Aimag

2007-09-02T01:43:00.000-07:00

Rain Clouds in Hovsgol Aimag

Mongolian Horses

2007-09-02T01:29:00.001-07:00

Mongolian Horses in Hovsgol Aimag

" Mongolia: Dance, Music and Ballad " at Asia Society, New York City

2007-07-24T19:54:00.000-07:00

" Mongolia: Dance, Music and Ballad " at Asia Society, New York City

Tuesday, July 24, 2007, 10AM to 3PM
Asia Society
725 Park Avenue (at East 70 Street), NYC

Explore Mongolian culture and epics, experience traditional Mongolian music and dance with artists and scholars from Inner Mongolia. The rhythms and notes dance across lutes, flutes, fiddles and the two-string horse-head violin (morin khuur)—considered Mongolia’s national instrument. Dancers offer the indigenous bielgee while singers share epic songs (tuul’), long chants (urtyn duu) and overtone singing (khoomii). Featuring Morris Rossabi, Alain Desjacques, Josephine Markovits and the musicians and dancers from Inner Mongolia. Presented in conjunction with Lincoln Center Festival 2007 www.LincolnCenter.org.

Mongolian Wrestling

2007-06-27T16:06:00.000-07:00

Damdin Danigai – 1921 Mongolian National Naadam Champion.
Number 1 out of 96 contenders.

G. Bat-Ochir – 1921 Mongolian National Naadam Runner-Up

Vandan Titan – 1922 and 1923 Mongolian National Naadam Wrestling Champion
Number 1 out of 704 contenders.
Wrestled 16 times in Mongolian National Naadam and 50 times won provincial Naadams.

Bosaw Shagdir - 1924 Mongolian National Naadam Wrestling Champion
Number 1 out of 674 contenders.

Jamiyan - 1926 Mongolian National Naadam Wrestling Champion
Number 1 out of 960 contenders
Main technique was charging leg grab and throw.

Jamiyan - 1927 Mongolian National Naadam Wrestling Champion
Number 1 out of 960 contenders

Ayoor - 1929 Mongolian National Naadam Wrestling Champion
Number 1 out of 1000 contenders

B. Banzar - 1929 Mongolian National Naadam Wrestling Champion
Number 1 out of 1000 contenders

Lhagva - 1931 Mongolian National Naadam Champion - Number 1 out of 1000 contenders

Wrestler At Naadam, Hovsgol Aimag, July 1996
by Robert McCracken Peck

Mongolian Wrestlers at the Festival of Mongolia in Central Park,
New York City, 2000

Mongolian wrestlers and archers are generally regarded by Mongolians as holding a very important cultural status in traditional Mongolian society. The wrestlers especially are thought of as embodying ancient values of nobility, strength and chivalrous sportsmanship. The rituals of Mongolian wrestling competition are believed to have been passed down in a form virtually unchanged for hundreds of years.

Mongolian wrestling is one of the three main sports of the Mongolian 'Naadam' celebration, the other two are archery and horse racing. Naadam comes from the word "Naadakh' which means to have fun. The Naadam events take place outdoors over three days between July 11th thru 13th every year. Naadam is the grand annual celebration of Mongolian traditional sports and culture during which most offices are closed since the nation as a whole is on holiday. Usually 512 wrestlers enter the Naadam competition and final eliminations are decided after nine rounds. The wrestlers with the most victories and highest title decides who his opponents will be after the third round of eliminations.

The traditional Mongolian wrestling costume consists of a red waistcoat open in the front called a 'Zodog', blue wrestling trunks called 'Shuudag' and high boots called 'Gutuls'. One of the most unique aspects of Mongolian wrestling is there are no separate weight classes and there are no time limits for the wrestling bouts. During the wrestling match if either wrestler's knee or elbow touches the ground then he loses the match.

Each wrestler has a "Zazul" who is both his coach and herald. At the beginning of the third, fifth and seventh rounds he sings the praises of his wrestler's heroic deeds. During lulls in the match the Zazul slaps the wrestler on the back and exhorts them to struggle on. Before and after the match, each wrestler does the traditional "Eagle Dance" (Devekh) which symbolizes power, bravery, grace and invincibility and is based on the flight of the mythical Garuda bird. These ancient Mongolian wrestling rituals are very important vestigial elements of Mongolian culture. The pre-wrestling rituals combine mystical and heroic imagery as well as mythical symbolism and meaning which are primary parts of Mongolia's rich history and culture.

The wrestlers slap their thighs to show they are ready to begin the match. Mongolian wrestlers have a vast range of techniques called 'Mekhs' which they utilize based on their assesment of each opponents strengths or weaknesses. A highly skilled Mongolian wrestler can know hundreds of Mekhs. If a wrestler loses the match, he then symbolically passes under the arm of the winner as a sign of respect.

The power and ability of Mongolian wrestlers is world renowned and currently making its powerful impact felt on the world of Japanese Sumo. A handful of Mongolian wrestlers have mastered Japanese Sumo techniques and now dominate the hierarchy of Japanese Sumo. The Mongolian Sumo wrestlers have had great success in Japanese Sumo by adapting traditional Mongolian wrestling methods, training and inherent strengths for the suddenly changed world of Japanese Sumo.

The Mongolian wrestling ranking hierarchy starts with the title of Falcon (Nachin), then Elephant (Zaan), then Lion (Arslan), and then the highest rank which is Titan (Avarga).

Mongolian Wrestling Terminology

Bukh - the word for Mongolian wrestling or wrestler.

Mekh - A technique or ruse to catch opponents off guard.

Tahina Uguh - To go under the winner's arm after a loss.

Mongolia most famous painting 'One Day in Mongolia' by B. Sharav

2007-06-04T16:48:00.000-07:00

'One Day in Mongolia' by B. Sharav

The most famous Mongolian painting is 'One Day in Mongolia' by the great painter, B. Sharav who lived from 1869 to 1939. This masterpiece of Mongolian art depicts a grand overview of the timeless traditions of the day-to-day life of Mongolian people.

Close scrutiny of sections of this grand painting illuminates many different aspects of Mongolian nomadic life including the various stages of felt making, erecting a Ger, and religous rituals. This painting by B. Sharav shows Mongolian pastoral nomadic life as a robust colorful existance with great liveliness shown through its many fine details.

Mongolia Culture Website

2007-03-23T22:48:00.000-07:00

Mongolian Culture Website: www.Mongolianculture.com

Source: http://www.leeds.ac.uk/library/subjects/arts/eastasia/websites-mongolia.php

Mongolian Culture
http://www.mongolianculture.com/

From the Leeds University Library Webpage

Mongolian Culture, an online resource from the New York based Indo-Mongolian Society, aims to introduce its users to contemporary Mongolian culture, recommend wider online and print resources, and to provide information on the society's activities. The main page contains several photographic images of Mongolian life and culture, along with links to a map of Mongolia, and texts on Mongolian law, culture, art and history. From this page, users can also navigate to lists of online and print resources on Mongolia. Print resources are classified by essential and recommended reading, and there is also an online excerpt from a translation of The Secret History of the Mongols. Users will also find a long list of online resources on Mongolian history, including images, articles and reading lists. Other collections of alternative gateways cover: news; culture; and art.
The website also features its own textual introduction to Mongolian culture, and provides more extended information on a number of topics, including: films about Mongolia; Mongolian dance; the horse in Mongolian culture; and Mongolian storytelling. The website reproduces five papers given by speakers at the Indo-Mongolia Society. In addition, users will find summaries and textual information on the Indo-Mongolia Society's recent and future activities.

Mongolian History

2007-03-20T14:29:00.000-07:00

Ilkhanid Mongol Court Scene
Mongolia History

Mongolia History Blog

We have added a Mongolian history blog to our main webpage: www.Mongolianculture.com
The Mongolia History blog titled 'Mongolia History' is found here at: http://mongoliahistory.blogspot.com/

Scholarly articles on Mongolian history along with historical images will be presented to provide a range of knowledge about Mongolia, Mongol people and related topics.

Asashoryu Victory March 16th, 2007 in Osaka

2007-03-18T22:59:00.000-07:00

Asashoryu Victory March 16th, 2007 in Osaka
href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XJDL7Jxu7hk/Rf4nTRVXRDI/AAAAAAAAAGk/0hYaisfbC7A/s1600-h/asashoryuMarch16.jpg">
Sumo's grand champion Asashoryu manhandles fellow Mongolian Kyokutenho and sends him backward into the dirt during their bout in the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament at Osaka, western Japan, on Friday. Asashoryu, who's seeking his 21st career victory, now stands at 4-2 after Friday's final bout. Kyokutenho dropped to 1-5. (AP Photo/Kyodo News)
(March 16, 2007)
Source: http://www.Seattlepi.com

Mongolian Greatest Rock Band plays Brooklyn, New York

2007-03-11T19:11:00.000-07:00

The Legendary Mongolian Rock Band 'Hurd'

Mongolia's greatest rock band 'Hurd' played Brooklyn, New York on March 9th, 2007 to a large audience of Mongolian rock fans. Hurd presented a strong show of Mongolian favorites that appealed to all the generations of Mongolians present for this special event including some Mongolian teeny boppers. The jovial Mongolian crowd sang along and danced till the very last song and left hoping for Hurd's return to New York once again.

Mongolian Tsagaan Tsar Celebration in New York City

2007-03-11T19:00:00.000-07:00

Mongolian Ger at Tsagaan Tsar in New York City

A Mongolian Tsagaan Tsar celebration was held at the Rubin Museum of Art in New York City on February 3rd and 4th, 2007. The RMA events for Tsagaan Tsar including presentations of Mongolian throat singing, Tsam masked dancing, and workshops on Mongolian jewelry making and mask making. A showing of the Mongolian film 'The Weeping Camel' was included as part of two-day celebration of Mongolian culture.

Cave of the Yellow Dog

2007-01-23T22:17:00.000-08:00

Cave of the Yellow Dog

Cast: Urjindorj Batchuluun, Batbayar Batchuluun, Nansal Batchuluun

New film by Mongolian director Byambasuren Davaa titled "Cave of the Yellow Dog" tells the story of a young Mongolian girl's adoption of a wild dog. This film is a combination of documentary style and scripted feature film making with an intense appreciation of the Mongolian pastoral nomad way of life. The threat of predatory wolves, at-risk sheep and a Mongolian child's emotional attachment to her favourite animal combine to create a strong tale of life on the edge in the Mongolian countryside.

Mongolia - Young Scientist of the Year

2007-01-21T00:34:00.000-08:00

Source: Ollo Mongolian News & Information Leader Portal Website
http://www.olloo.mn/en/index.php

President N.Enkhbayar awarded Young Scientist of Year of 2006 to Dr. Ulambayaryn Erdenebat, scientific officer of Archeological Institute, Academy of Science.

The diploma presented to the Young Scientist of Year excerpts from traditional proverb:
“A knowledgeable person shines by his creation
A precious stone shines by its color.”

In addition the diploma notes “You U.Erdenebat discovered the historical artifacts of ancient time and medieval period by archeological studies during the year of the 800th anniversary of the establishment of Great Mongolian State and wrote series of scientific works based on the artifacts.

I President of Mongolia highly value your contribution for studying, preserving and advertising abroad the historical and cultural artifacts of Mongolia and express my gratitude for your highly intellectual benefaction for the country and the people and bestow you the award named after the President of Mongolia.

May your future scientific work and creation be highly beneficial for the state and people and be well known for the world.

The Young Scientist of Year award named after the President of Mongolia consists of title, personal diploma and cash award of one million tugrugs and is sponsored by Anod Bank and Mongolia’s Foundation for Science and Technology.

Mongolia Country and History Information Summary

2007-01-12T00:28:00.000-08:00

Map of Mongolia by the University of Texas

Country name: Mongolia (Local short form: Mongol Ulus, formerly known as Mongolian Peoples Republic and until 1924 was called Outer Mongolia).

Capital: Ulaanbaatar (means Red Hero) population 904,000 people (2006). Situated on the Tuul River. From 1639-1706 was known as Urga or Da Khuree.

Size: 604,826 square miles (1,566,00 square km)

Area comparison: Four times the size of U.K., Three times the size of France, or about the size of western Europe. Mongolia is the world’s largest landlocked nation and is the 18th largest country in the world.

Location: Northern Asia, situated between the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation.

Population: 2.8 million (2006) More than half the population is under age 30.

Population Density: 4.7 persons per square mile (1.7 persons per square km) Approximately 65% of Mongolians live in urban centers, 35% are pastoral nomads.

Languages: Khalkh Mongolian (90%), Turkic, Russian. Cyrillic script is used in writing.

Literacy Rate: 98.4%

Religions: Mahayana Tibetan Buddhism (96%), Shamanism,

Government: Parliamentary Democracy

Mongolia has 21 Aimags (provinces) which are divided into 343 Sums (districts) and smaller areas known as Baags.

Climate: Extreme Continental (large daily and seasonal temperature changes)
Summer averages +68F degrees. Winter averages –13F degrees. Winter season runs from October till April. Annually Mongolia has more than 260 sunny days on average.

Average Elevation: More than 5,180 feet (1,580 meters) Average altitude in Mongolia is one mile above sea level.

Major Rivers & Lakes: The Orkhon River is the longest river in Mongolia at 698 miles (1124 km). Lake Hovsgol Nuur is Mongolia’s largest lake and holds 2% of the world’s freshwater supply.

Terrain: Desert steppe, Desert plains, Grassy steppe terrain is found in most parts of Eastern Mongolia, Mountainous zone covers 5% of Mongolia’s territory, Mountain forest, Taiga forest region in the north is 5% of Mongolia’s total landmass.

The Gobi Desert is the world’s northernmost desert and has a mostly gravel surface with low-lying rocky hills. One of the earth’s great deserts it ranges through most of southern Mongolia and comprises 17% of Mongolia’s total landmass. Annually desertification in the Gobi Desert is increasing due to overgrazing primarily.

Mountain Ranges: Altai Nuruu Mountains ranging northwest to southeast, Khentii Nuruu Mountains in the northeast and Khangai Nuruu Mountains in Central Mongolia.

Highest peak: Khuiten Peak14,350 feet (4374 meters) in the Altai Tavanbogd Uuul range.

Currency: Tögrög (Tughruk), U.S. $1 = Tg1165 (January, 2007)

Main Exports: Copper, Textiles, Cashmere and cashmere products, Fluorspar, Wool, Livestock and livestock products.

Public Holidays: New Years Day - January 1st, Tsagaan Tsar (Lunar New Year) – Usually early February depending on phases of the moon, International Woman’s Day – March 8th, Mothers and Children’s Day - June 1st, Naadam (National Games) – July 11th - 13th, Independence Day – November 26th,

Brief History of Mongolia

In the 13th century Mongolian epic chronicle of history titled ‘The Secret History of the Mongols’ the story of the Mongol people’s origins begins like this:

“There came into the world a blue-gray wolf
Whose destiny was Heaven’s will.
His wife was a fallow deer.
They traveled across the inland sea
And when they camped near the source of the Onan River
In sight of Mount Burkhan Khaldun
Their first son was born, named Batachikhan.” 1

Mongolia is an independent nation that rose during the reign of Chinggis Khan (Genghis Khan) who founded the Mongol nation in 1206. Chinggis Khan was born into Mongol tribal nobility in approximately 1162; his given name was Temujin. When Temujin was nine years old his father Yesugei Khan, was poisoned by tribal enemies. Temujin went on to survive abandonment by his clansmen, near starvation, capture by enemies, war wounds and the kidnapping of his wife Borte. Temujin was able to rescue Borte and later attracted a band of followers from many different tribes who saw in him signs of a visionary leader destined for greatness.

Temujin fought and overcame the Dorbets, Tartars, Seljuits, Tonkaits, Merkits, Keraits, Naimans, and other Turkic and Mongol tribes in Mongolia as his power grew. After these successful campaigns he was formally recognized as the supreme leader of the tribes of Mongolia in 1206, and given the title of Chinggis Khan, which means ‘Universal Ruler’.

He then proceeded to conquer the Central Asian kingdom of the Khwaramshah, defeat all the tribes of northern China by 1225 and laid the foundations for the birth of the massive Mongol Empire. Before Chinggis Khan died in 1227 he chose his son Ogodei as successor and advised his sons to expand the empire, recognize Ogodei in writing and to serve each other for the sake of unified strength.2

Today Chinggis Khan is recognized by many as a military and political genius3 without parallel whose empire endured for generations while in comparison Alexander the Great’s empire crumbled as he died.4

The Mongol Empire at its greatest extent spanned most of Asia with its dominions reaching from Korea to Hungary and down to the Indus. The Mongol Empire Khans and their generals defeated the armies that controlled the territories of the nations we know of today as China, North and South Korea, Myanmar, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgystan, Tajikistan, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Afghanistan, northern India, Hungary, Transylvania, Bulgaria, eastern Germany, Russia, Ukraine, Poland and others.

The lands that make up modern day Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan were conquered and ruled by the Mongol Empire’s Golden Horde Dynasty from 1237 until 1382. The Golden Horde’s rule endured in Kazan and Astrakhan till 1554 and lasted in Crimea until 1783. Some historians5 have reasoned that the Mongol Golden Horde Dynasty helped the Russian princely states and Muscovy’s development as a regional power, which ultimately led to the creation of czarist Russia and its consolidation of Central Asia.

After conquering China’s Northern and Southern Sung kingdoms, Mongolian Emperors unified and ruled China during the Yuan Dynasty from 1271 till 1368. A Han Chinese peasant leader named Zhu Yuanzhang forced the Mongol Yuan to leave China and became the first Ming Dynasty king in 1368. Warfare between the western Oirod Mongols and the eastern Khalkh Mongols from 1400 to 1454 led to an extended tumultuous division between the Mongols. Esen Khan the Oirod Mongol chief reunited the Mongol tribes and captured the Chinese Ming Emperor Yingzong in 1449. In 1552 the Mongol prince Altan Khan defeated the Oirod and reunited Mongolia. Mongolians largely adopted Tibetan Buddhism during Altan Khan’s reign, 1543-1583.

The Ming Dynasty was gradually weakened by its long wars with the Mongols, internal conflicts, powerful court eunuchs, corruption and other regional campaigns. In 1644 the reign of the last Ming king Ch’ung-Chen (1628-1644) was doomed by yet another large scale peasant uprising rebellion. At that very moment a nomadic tribe called the Jurchen or Manchu swept into northern China, seized the imperial throne and claimed the ‘mandate of heaven’ as their divine right to rule China.

During the Manchu tribe’s Qing Dynasty in China (1644 – 1911) Mongolia was split into Inner Mongolia and Outer Mongolia and was administered by Manchu rulers. Outer Mongolia declared independence in 1911 after the Manchu government in China finally collapsed.

With Russian assistance Mongolia was able to expel Chinese troops trying to reassert Chinese rule in Mongolia in 1921. From 1924 till 1990 Mongolia was known as the Mongolian Peoples Republic and was governed by a single Communist party system under the influence of the U.S.S.R. During the Soviet-style Communist period Mongolia was largely inaccessible to visitors from the West. Until the 1990’s Buddhist monasteries were mostly closed, industrial development was limited, private land ownership was not allowed and there was no official recognition of Chinggis Khan. In 1990 Mongolia had a peaceful transition to a democratic multiparty system of government with democratic elections successfully held in July of 1990.

Main page: www.Mongolianculture.com

This Mongolia country information and historical summary page was compiled by the Indo-Mongolian Society of New York in 2007.

Grand champion Asashoryu Posts Second Win at Tokyo New Year Sumo Tournament

2007-01-08T13:29:00.000-08:00

Grand champion Asashoryu posts second win at New Year Sumo Tournament

Source: International Herald Tribune Sport - January 8th, 2007 http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/08/sports/AS-SPT-SUM-Japan-Roundup.php

TOKYO: Grand champion Asashoryu beat Russian komusubi Roho with a quick overarm throw Sunday to get a winning start to the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan.

Asashoryu of Mongolia, who finished the last tournament in November with a perfect 15-0 record, exchanged thrusts with Roho before grabbing his belt with his right arm and heaved him down.

Genghis Khan and His Heirs Exhibition

2007-01-04T22:53:00.000-08:00

Genghis Khan and His Heirs Exhibition
Sabancı University's Sakıp Sabancı Museum will be hosting the "Genghis Khan and his Heirs - The Great Mongolian Empire" exhibition between December 7, 2006 and April 8, 2007.

The exhibition, jointly organized by the Kunst und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland-Bonn, the Staatliches Museum für Völkerkunde-Munich, the Kunsthistorisches Museum-Vienna, the federal state of lower Austria, the BMBWK and Sabancı University's Sakıp Sabancı Museum and sponsored by Garanti Bank, will bring together 600 pieces, some of which will be seen by the public for the first time, from major museums in Europe, Mongolia and Turkey. In conjunction with the exhibition there will be a programme of lectures, gallery talks, and workshops for children and adults.

Mongolia Stamps

2006-12-30T21:54:00.000-08:00

Vintage Mongolian stamps come in a great variety of interesting motifs.

Chinggis Khan's Grandparents Portrait

2006-12-26T13:28:00.000-08:00

Chinggis Khan's Grandparents Portrait. Miniature Illustration from Rashid-al-Din's Chronicles.
depicting Bartan-Bahadur and Sunigil-Fudjin

Mongolian Archers Images

2006-12-26T12:31:00.000-08:00

A Mongolian archer demonstrating the technique of shooting birds overhead with a compound bow. Photo by Arthaud and Hebert-Stevens, Mongolie

Mongolian Woman Archer in Naadam Competition, Mongolia, 2000

Mongolian Archer, Inner Mongolia, 1940's

Mongolian Archer netsuke attributed to Toshimura Shuzan, Japan, 18th century

Zanabazar

2006-12-24T21:20:00.000-08:00

Sculpture Portrait of Zanabazar, 18th century.

Mongolian Sumo Wrestler Asashoryu Finishes Perfect At Kyushu Sumo Championship

2006-12-23T23:16:00.000-08:00

Yokozuna Asashoryu shoves Ozeki Chiyotaikai from the dohyo at the Fukuoka Kokusai Center Sunday, the final day of the November Grand Sumo Tournament. (Mainichi Photo)

News Source: Mainichi Daily News, November 26th, 2006
http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/sports/sumo/news/20061126p2a00m0sp010000c.html

FUKUOKA -- Yokozuna Asashoryu overpowered ozeki Chiyotaikai on Sunday to finish the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament with a perfect 15-0 record.

Asashoryu, who wrapped up his 19th Emperor's Cup with a win on Saturday, got both hands on the belt of Chiyotaikai and lifted the ozeki up and over the straw ridge in the day's final bout at Fukuoka Kokusai Center.

Chiyotaikai dropped to 9-6.

"It's always nice to win every bout," said Asashoryu, who won the Kyushu meet for a third straight year. "From the 10th day I started to feel I had a good chance to win the title and fought with the pride of a yokozuna."

Mongolian Asashoryu, the only grand champion competing in sumo, defeated Kotooshu on Saturday to secure the title in the year's final tournament.

Sunday's win capped an impressive run in the 15-day Kyushu tourney and was the fifth time Asashoryu has won a meet with an undefeated record.

Sympathy For The Mongols & How The Rise Of The West Was Sheer Dumb Luck by Daniel Foss

2006-12-18T22:59:00.000-08:00

Battle of Liegnitz, 1241

Website Source:Historical Text Archive http://historicaltextarchive.com/sections.php?op=viewarticle&artid=241

Sympathy For The Mongols & How The Rise Of The West Was Sheer Dumb Luck

Note: I can't find Daniel Foss. If he or someone who knows him reads this, contact me. This essay is provocative and deserves wide circulation. It appeared on the History@finhutc list (now defunct). I didn't save the first essay he mentions. Regardless, the second essay gives pause for thought.

Date: Mon, 29 Apr 91 14:57:18 EDT
From: "Daniel A. Foss"
Subject: Historical Objectivity (2)

Sympathy For The Mongols & How The Rise Of The West Was Sheer Dumb Luck

Although the reader is presumed to have dismissed the previous essay as a pastiche of commonplaces and preposterousnesses, let me first of all assure you that the letter in question represented no more than a capsule summary of what those disposed to high-nebulosity locutions characterize as "orientations" or "where I'm coming from." Herewith I get down to some cases.

In the April 26 communication from G.L. Penrose of Hope College there is an example given of an indubitable historical fact, "say the Mongol conquest of Baghdad in 1258." Why this "event" in particular? Well, It's a fact or "event" whereof one supposes only a person literate in history to know. Also, it has come down to us as a story of such frightfulness as to epitomize or eo ipso mark a caesura in medieval Islamic civilization; and is as a rule stressed as such by Islamicists: Islam was struck a blow in its heartland, an exogenous catastrophe, wherefrom it was not to meaningfully recover and wherefor Islam itself can hardly therefore be blamed. As a direct consequence Islam/Islamic/"Islamicate" civilization rigidified, stagnated, ossified by contrast to its earlier creativity and dynamism, and thereafter was "deep-frozen" in the guise of the "gunpowder empires" after 1450. Small wonder given what we "know" to have Objectively happened: In 1258 Hulagu led an expeditionary force, presumed overwhelmingly large, to Persia and Iraq having subdued the remaining powers of Turkish Central Asia including assorted trading city-state khanates and the realm of the Khwarizm Shah. [None of these entities represented much capacity to resist.] The ruler of Iraq, the last as it turned out of the Abbasid Caliphs al-Nasir, refused to surrender [self-evidently without prospect of success] and for his heroism died horribly at Mongol hands. For resisting the city was relegated to massacre and pillage. Death toll estimates begin at 200,000 inhabitants; they go as high as 800,000: The waters of the Tigris ran red with human blood for days, weeks, on end. Irreplaceable cultural treasures were lost: So many libraries perished that the waters of the Tigris ran black with ink from destroyed books. (See NY Times Magazine Section, Sunday 28 April 1991.)

All that stood between Islam and total perdition was the still-shaky regime (since taking power from the last of the Ayyubids in 1250 in an ill-planned coup lacking a non-slave candidate for the throne) of the Mamluks in Egypt, whose first Sultan, Qutuz, defeated Hulagu at Ayn Jalut, Syria, in that same year, 1258.

For some reason we draw conclusions as to the mighty feat of arms achieved by the heroic Qutuz, not the weakness of Hulagu's expeditionary force. [Crusader Acre held out against him, Bybars, and Qalawun till after the latter's death. Then again, we should but do not bear in mind Batu's having turned the mailed chivalry of Hungary, led by Bela IV, into a pile of rusty scrap in 1242; the Egyptian cavalry was lighter, less formidable, easy prey to deadly Mongol archers one would think.]

We might, but never do, sit up with a start, suddenly aware of the anomaly of the Abbasid Caliph holding power. There had after all been Abbasid Caliphs since 750; Baghdad was founded in 764. But didn't we learn in the third grade, or third year of graduate school, whatever, that the Arab Empire's political eminence and territorial integrity did not long survive the supreme effort expended in suppressing the grave Revolt of the Zanj (imported African slaves) in southern Iraq (868-883); and that even before this the Caliphs had become playthings of their Turkish soldiers' commanding officers like 5th century West Roman Emperors of German counterparts. Persia and Iran were at this time given over to the peregrinations of nomadic turkish tribes and their flocks, nomadic anarchy suspended for two or three generations by the power - after 1313 the Islamic power - of the Mongol Ilkhan mini-empire. More conscious, deliberate anarchists abounded, too, in the form of the terrorists of the Order of Hashishin, an offshoot of Ismaili ("Sevener") Shi'a Islam.

What had happened was the disappearance of "serious" government, i.e., of orderly dominion over respectably sized territorial units, had disappeared even before the Mongol arrival, leaving a power vacuum such that the only imaginable last-gasp possibility of rulership over the former Empire's core territory, Iraq, reverted perforce to of all people the legitimate monarch! Al-Nasir, "a nice man who meant well," dutifully if bemusedly assumed his responsibility to govern Iraq faute de mieux; although he at times strangely continued to act as if he were still a figurehead e.g. hoarding his personal Caliphal treasure, not urgently expending it on the exigencies of defense as the situation urgently warranted. Heir to centuries of political impotence, the last Caliph made a poor showing, preserving his dignity as opposed to governing a state. A ruler of, say, mediocre competence might have deflected Hulagu, who was in a hurry, with lesser disaster. [His dignity prevailed: When the Mongols rolled him up in a rug and stomped him to death, this was a tribute to royalty; it spared a victim dismemberment of the body.]

How much of a disaster was it, actually? Baghdad lost the caliphate which was normally a cipher anyway which Sunnis long ago learned to live without and Shi'ites always despised. Yet business was good, in large measure due to the immense stimulus to trade imparted by the vastness of the Mongol Empire itself. Baghdad and Iraq recovered their prosperity. The Hashishin were wiped out; the Ismaili activist wing of Shi'ism gave way to Jaafari ("Twelver") which encouraged a clean nose kept to the grindstone. Turkish tribal wars abated until the Ilkhanate fell whereafter Black Steep Turks fought White Sheep Turks.

The fall of Baghdad was memorable for reasons which were largely or wholly false. Islamic civilization had hit a rough patch some decades before the Mongols appeared. Thereafter the Mongols even if acting in their own interest, not that of Islam, greatly promoted trade, peace, and order. Muslims greatly exaggerated the massacre in Baghdad of more people than the city's total population; and it recovered in numbers and prosperity thereafter: The importance of the Fall of Baghdad was psychological, like that of Constantinople in 1453; and unlike the latter was due more to political stupidity, less to overwhelming odds (had that is sensible precautions been taken).

To this day in English, the words "Mongol" and "horde" have strongly negative connotations. But this is as nothing to the perduring horror Mongols evoke in countries they actually conquered, like Russia and China; and here the tendency is for foreign historians to have taken and to still take to this very day the word of the locals as to what evils were attributable to Mongol malign essence.

Mongols can have done no right. As barbarians all their acts were barbarous performed barbarously. The ethnic stereotype of Fanatical Asiatic Hordes has been wedged like foreign matter into the history o[f] widely separated countries in the place of facts whereof some of which we would like to know, others we are more comfortable not knowing as these facts might well be found discrepant with our Reality, whose "tradition" - in the sense I have used the word in the first essay, is a tale of the inevitable, inexorable comint-to-the-fore of the innate, intrinsic, immanent Superiority of the West which made it certain that the West and the West alone could have given rise to Modern Society and then only in the form whereby it is familiar to us.

Though "Tradition," every society's folk-tales of its alleged past, changes repeatedly as dictated by the spurious - i.e., ideologically represented - present. Every "Reality" - in the sense I used in the first essay - imparts "a sense of time-immemoriality" to the inception of the present. Crudely put, since Time Immemorial the West has been Rising; and Western Civilization is the Booster of the launch vehicle whereof the Second Stage is the "Bourgeoisie." It is not true that we typically say something not far different in meaning from, "Since Earliest Times the Bourgeoisie has been Rising"? [Observe that to establish ourselves teleologically we have forcibly stolen - where necessary by military might - the civilization of Classical Greece from what once was called the East and stuck it in the West, or at least the imaginary past of the West. Down indeed to the detail of having The White Man, a recent invention of the West, perforce exist then-there, if then-there is to precur the West.]

Historians of China have to this very day represented the Mongol period as a time of oppressive cruelty and incessant terror. During the Mongol Yuan Dynasty however, Chinese scholar-intellectuals berated the Mongol regime for laxity, permissiveness, and undisciplined administration. (Who knows if this might also prove true of the "Mongol yoke" in Russia?) The Chinese have for five centuries attributed huge reductions in their population, from 125 million by official count in 1317, to 65 million (inflated by modern estimates to 80 million) in 1393, to Mongol genocidal inclinations whose victims were supplemented by the death toll incurred in the national effort to throw the hated barbarian rulers out of the country back into the northern deserts whence they came. Western historians by and large believe them.

Right now I have lying on my lap a slim book of readings for an undergraduate history course. The title is, The Black Death: A Turning Point In History? It was known or believed in Europe in the years just before 1350 that the Bubonic Plague had originated somewhere in the East, China possibly, and had been brought to the shore of the Black Sea by a Mongol army. If the Bubonic Plague was largely responsible for demographic collapse in China as it was in Europe, the misattribution of population losses to Mongol genocide and struggle against Mongol rule may represent one of the greatest unhappenings cum rehappenings of the past of this kind in history (where "history" here is used in the sense of objective history in the ultimate sense). 57 Varieties of social theory are invoked by social scientists of every stripe to identify some Disease of Chinese Civilization such that China could not and could never have developed Modern Capitalism. Where China was Diseased the West was hale and healthy; hence The Rise of the West culminating in the Rise of the Bourgeoisie which endureth forever: As of 1989 any projected possibility that there might exist some point beyond which the bourgeoisie might Rise no more has been banished, dead-and-buried, we-told-you-so. Quite plausibly some of the things we do not wish to be told - yet which have been established beyond question by contemporary China scholarship - include that up through the first third of the fourteenth century the Chinese were a couple of centuries closer to the dubious paradise of Capitalism than were the Western Europeans of the same period. And the lead furthermore was widening.

Then Chinese Civilization ran into bad luck: Something happened such that its advantages turned into drawbacks; some Disease of Western Civilization was in a critical situation turned into a stimulus for cancerous growth, here borrowing the imagery of Philip Slater to the effect that what cancer is to the organism, Capitalism - as a system of production of material goods without limit - is to the Planet Earth.

Suppose it can be shown that something like this was Objectively True in history, that is, in the Ultimate sense. Is there anyone around with sufficient Historical Objectivity - do you see what I'm getting at yet? - to take it with good-natured scholarly equanimity?

And, mark my words, I do not even claim Historical Objectivity in making my case. I am going to suggest that the Rise of the West Was Sheer Dumb Luck out of sheer Sour Grapes: (1) The game of life is crooked, whether for the single human organism or for human aggregates like classes (which once existed a very great deal but do not exist quite so much any more), genders (which have always existed and still exist), races (which barely exist at all though their importance exists enormously more than the things themselves), nations (which started existing a quite short time ago and should exist for a while yet since the worst-put-together nations posit vested interests in the continued existence of nations merely because they haven't got in their licks as of yet), or the homo sapiens sapiens species as a whole (which having spent 45 years on the very edge of nonexistence may yet prove to have been better off that way, as in the statistical sense its well-being seems to have peaked out sometime around the year 1400, says Braudel, and is not going to get any better). (2) Nobody is any better than anybody else, though a few may be worse (which is not what Tom Jefferson meant by "all citizens of the male gender are created equal"). (3) I suspect that there are situations wherein historical objectivity is at best superfluous for the purpose of arrival at objective history (Do you get what I mean?).

Daniel A. Foss
State University of New York at Stony Brook
DFOSS@SBCCVM

Rubin Museum of Art Growing its Collection

2006-12-01T18:30:00.000-08:00

Rubin Museum of Art (RMA) Displays the Strength of its Growing Collection through Concurrent Exhibitions

RMA celebrates the increasing strength and depth of its quickly growing collection through the presentation of two new exhibitions, Mongolia: Beyond Chinggis Khan (November 3, 2006 – April 16, 2007) and Building the Collection: Acquisitions 2005 – 2006 (October 13, 2006 – February 9, 2007). Two years since joining the cultural landscape of New York, RMA continues to expand upon its mission by collecting works across the broad expanse of geography and time, religions and cultures, which compose the story of the Himalayas and surrounding regions. The works of art on view have been selected because they enrich the story of Himalayan art in unique and meaningful ways.

Mongolia: Beyond Chinggis Khan draws specifically upon RMA’s strong collection of Mongolian art to present a view into the stunning variety of ritual masks, paintings, sculptures, and other objects created over its 800 year history. Artistic influence was absorbed into the country, particularly from Tibet and China, and radiated outwards in a continual exchange of ideas and styles. Generously interspersed throughout the exhibition are contemporary photographs of Mongolian landscape, life, and people by artists Builder Levy and Elaine Ling. The photographs add present-day nuance and a vivid sense of place to the works of art on view. They weave an additional layer into the exhibition by couching the works of art in the perspective of outside observers.

Mongolian Nature & Environment Website

2006-11-30T20:58:00.000-08:00

Website: http://www.mnec.org.mn/sgp/eintro.htm

Great Mongolia website with information about Mongolian environment.

The total amount of water resources of Mongolia is estimated at 34.6 km3, of which 6.69 km3 is in Khentii, 1.51 km3 in Dornod, 0.14 km3 in Sukhbaatar. These three aimags of Eastern Mongolia accounts for 24.1 % of the total amount of all river water resources in Mongolia.As of 1999, Khentii, Dornod and Sukhbaatar aimags exploited 0.72%, 4.7% and 13.6% of their water resources respectively.

In Eastern Mongolia, there are 885 lakes and ponds of different sizes. 155 of them are in Khentii, 545 in Dornod (Eastern), 185 in Sukhbaatar. Most of them are closed and have no outflow.

There are over 1000 wetlands in Eastern Mongolia including Buir lake, Khalkh, Yakhi, Dorgon, Ganga nuur, Mongol Daguur, Kherlen, Onon, Ulz, Balj, Nomrog, Degee, Khalkh rivers.

Hydrologically, the territories of Khentii, Dornod and Sukhbaatar aimags belong to Pacific basin and Central Asian closed basin. Of the total territory, 64% belongs to the Pacific basin and 36% to the Central Asian closed basin.

Onon, Ulz, Kherlen, Khalkh gol, the biggest rivers in Eastern Mongolia are within Pacific basin. These rivers take their origins at upper parts of Khentii and Khyangan mountain ranges. They form about 11 % of the total surface water run-off in Mongolia. Network density within watersheds of the rivers is 0.1-0.15 km/km2.There are only small rivers with temporary flow in the Central Asian closed basin. Here, river network density is lower.

Asashoryu, Mongolian Sumo Champion

2006-11-30T19:44:00.000-08:00

The Associated Press Published: November 21, 2006

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/11/21/sports/AS_SPT_SUM_Japan_Roundup.php

FUKUOKA, Japan: Grand champion Asashoryu hurled Kotomitsuki to the dirt Tuesday to widen his lead at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.

In the day's final bout at Fukuoka Kokusai Center, Asashoryu of Mongolia initially gave Kotomitsuki a firm grip of his belt but quickly pulled the sekiwake forward and down at the ring's edge, improving to 10-0. Kotomitsuki fell to 7-3.

Asashoryu, the only grand champion competing in sumo, is aiming for his 19th Emperor's Cup in the 15-day tourney.

Mongolian Sumo Wrestler Kyokushuzen Retires

2006-11-22T21:15:00.000-08:00

Mongolian sumo wrestler Kyokushuzan retires
http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20061113p2a00m0sp009000c.html

Mongolian wrestler Kyokushuzan retired Tuesday from professional sumo because of heart disease.
The 33-year-old wrestler has been suffering from heart disease for about a year and decided to retire after losing the first match of a tournament that kicked off Sunday, Kyokushuzan said in a televised news conference.
"For all of Japanese fans, thank you for supporting me over the past 15 years," Kyokushuzan said in Fukuoka, southwestern Japan, where the 15-day Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament is being held.
"First of all, I really want to express my gratitude to my stable master Oshima for coming as far as Mongolia 15 years ago and taking me to Japan, and bringing me up like this," said Kyokushuzan, whose real name is Daver Batobayal.
"After my bout yesterday, my heart felt constricted and I realized that I can't go on wrestling," said Kyukushuzan. "This was an important decision because I want to live a long life after sumo."
In his sumo career, Kyokushuzan won special prizes for outstanding performance, fighting spirit and technique five times.
Kyokushuzan, currently the 10th-ranked maegashira, made his sumo debut along with compatriot Kyokutenho at the spring meet in 1992, and was promoted to the elite makuuchi division in 1996.
He was promoted to komusubi, the third-highest rank below grand champion, at the 1997 spring tourney.
The current yokozuna, or grand champion, Asashoryu is also from Mongolia. (AP)
November 13, 2006

Lecture - "Art Under the Mongols, Yuan Dynasty"

2006-11-20T22:18:00.000-08:00

On November 16th, 2006, James C.Y. Watt, the Brooke Russel Astor Chairman, Department of Asian Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art presented a lecture titled, "Art Under the Mongols, Yuan Dynasty.

Mr. Watt illuminated the Mongol Khan's patronage for the arts during the Mongol period in China. Mr. Watt's displayed striking images of the renowned 'cloth of gold' textiles which to this day are considered the most expensive textiles ever created. Yuan dynasty ceramics with their distinct motifs and themes of wildlife conveyed the the Mongol rulers love of nature. The lecture also addressed the powerful impact of the Mongols in promoting a cultural exchange of artistic influences through the Mongol Empire's revival of the trade routes of the ancient Silk Road.

Khubiliai Khan's wife Chabi

2006-11-16T13:39:00.000-08:00

http://mongolianculture.com/

2006-11-16T13:06:00.000-08:00

http://mongolianculture.com/

Mongol Culture Information Collection

2006-11-13T17:07:00.000-08:00

The Mongol Culture Information Collection pages contain a range of informative items both historical, cultural and contemporary that are of interest for those seeking to learn about the Mongol peoples history and culture.