 In
Sept. 1983, a book titled " Altan Ordon
nai Dailga" (the Offering Ceremonies
of the Golden Ordon) by Mr. Sain-Jirgal
and Mr. Sharaldai was published in
classic Mongol script. Although the book was priced
only about US$0.15 at the time according to today's
rate, it has been providing the most comprehensive and
first hand materials on the offering ceremonies of the
Genghis Khan's Eight White Ordon and other related events.
Since one of the authors himself is a Darkhad and the
other is a long time researcher at the Yikh Juu League's
Bureau of Culture, we can count on the contents and
facts which stated in the book.
As a Mongol from Ordos, I decided to write something
on the Khan's Eight White Ordon and the mausoleum of
Genghis khan when I came to the United States and found
out that the people of the world know little about the
man known as the "Conqueror of the World".
Especially when I learned that the Chinese-Government-sponsored
"Florida Splendid China Theme Park" near Orlando,
US is trying to convince the people of the world that
the Khan was an emperor of the Chinese and so the Mongols
are also Chinese.
I hope the following article, which mainly based
on the " Altan Ordon nai Dailga",
will give people the historical background and outline
of the Khan's offering ceremonies as well as some facts
which are useful for understanding the Inner Mongolians
who are still suffering from the Chinese rule.
The
Eight White Ordon
After the Khan's death in 1227, his body was buried
secretly according to the custom of the Mongols. The
burial place still remains as a secret (most likely
somewhere in the Altai Mountain).
The Mongols started to commemorate their great leader
and founder of the nation right after his death. The
Eight White Ordon in Ejen-Khoroo,
Ordos, Inner Mongolia were
probably set up in these days.
Khubilai Khan (1215-1994, the
5th Grand Khan (Emperor) of the Mongol Empire and also
a grandson of Genghis Khan) set up a complete system
and rule for the Genghis Khan Ceremonies. By his rule,
the Darkhad, certain number of Mongols
(actually 500 households at that time) from the tribes
all over the Mongol Empire, were chosen to handle the
matter of ceremonies and protect the Eight White Ordon;
Yaamutad, officials with certain ranks
and responsibilities, were appointed to carry out the
ceremonies.
The Eight White Ordon: more
accurately, it should be called " The Eight
White Shitugen". Shitugen: object(s)
of veneration.
According to the Darkhad, the ritual to commemorate
Genghis Khan started from the days of Ogodei
Khan ( 1186-1241, the 2nd grand Khan of
the Mongol Empire and the 3rd son of Genghis Khan).
So we can speculate that the Eight White Ordon were
also set up at that time. The reason to choose Ejen
Khoroo to set up the Eight White Ordon has been unclear.
Folk tales among the Mongols told us that, one day
when the Khan was on his way to punish the Tanghud
people ( a people lived in now-a-day's
Ning Xia region in China), his horsewhip fell onto
the ground all of a sudden. When his guards were about
to pick it up for him, he stopped them and said :
" This must has a reason, I see this place
is a very nice place , a place for deer to graze, for
hoopoes to lay eggs, a place for shattered nations to
be rebuild and for lives to be enjoyed, bury me here
after my death."
Also according to the " Golden History",
a chronicle book of the Mongols by a Mongol of 17th
century:
" ( after the Khan's death,) shirts, yurts
and socks (of the Khan) were buried there ( Ordos) and
a false announcement was given ( to the Mongols) that
(the Khan was buried there)".
So it is possible that the belongings of the Khan
were buried in Ordos , posing as the real tomb (
the custom of the Mongols was/is , the remains of a
person is buried underground without any sign, even
a tombstone) to meet the Mongols' need to worship
the Khan and then a few years later, the Eight White
Ordon were set up around the place by the decree of
Khubilai Khan.
Dr. Bimbaa Rintchin of Mongolia,
prominent specialist in Mongolian language, culture
and customs, had said to the Darkhad when he came to
visit Ordos in 1950's:
" There are still various explanation over
the burial place of Chinggis ( Genghis) among the experts.
It is lucky for the people who live in felt tents (
the Mongols) that the Eight White Ordon have been preserved
for hundred of years, no matter in which only shirts
and yurts have been kept. Today, as the Eight White
Ordon have become the peerless memorial of history and
culture for the Mongols all over the world , so I am,
Rintchin, showing my great appreciation to all of you,
the Darkhad".
The Eight White Ordon were eight special yurts, each
for one Shitugen to be kept in.
" Ordon",
old Mongol "of Ordo". "
ordo" means "palace"
and " ordos"
is the plural of a " ordo".
The area where the Eight White Ordon had been preserved
has been named " Ordos"
(or " Urdus"
as the Ordos people pronounce) ever since the Eight
White Ordon were built there. The word "
yurt" is the Russian pronunciation
of " ordo"
or " urdu".
The word " Horde"
of " Golden Horde Khanate"
is also a alteration of the word "
ordo". Modern term of a "
yurt" in Mongol language is a
" ger" or
a " Mongol ger".
 The yurts which
constitute the Eight White Ordon ware called "
Chomchog". The Chomchog was built exactly
after the structure of the yurts of the time of Khubilai
Khan. Therefore, both the structure and outline of the
Chomchog is quite different than the modern time yurts
of the Mongols.
The Chomchog looks like having a neck on its upper
part. It is a real duplication of a kind of yurt used
by the Mongols long time ago. Some elders said that,
the Chomchog was used as a kind of camp yurt of the
Khan when he was sick during his conquest.
The " Khana" ( wooden
poles serve as the "wall" of the yurt)
of the Chomchog are not like the modern day yurts. Instead
of being stringed together by leather strings as of
a now-a-day's yurt, the Khana of a Chomchog are simply
a numbers of separate straight wooden poles. Both lower
and upper ends of these poles are inserted into the
holes of a " Ulavch" (
a square-shaped enclosed wooden band with holes on its
upper side) and a " Morovch
"( a wooden structure similar to the "Ulavch",
but having holes on both sides) respectively. There
are six poles ( Khana-in Mod) on the
side ( southward side) which has the door and every
nine poles ( including the corner poles) on the rest
of each three sides. ( which means, 4 poles on the
door side and each 7 poles on the rest of 3 sides, plus
4 corner poles, there are 29 poles all together)
The height of a pole ( khana-in mod) is 5 Mongolian
feet ( Tokhoi).
" Uni" are wooden poles,
their lower ends are inserted into the holes of the
upper side of the "Morovch" and the upper
ends of the "Uni" are inserted into the holes
on the " Khalgas" ( Khalgasu
in classic Mongol, a wooden structure, looks like a
huge upside-down deep wooden bowl). The lower ends
of the "Uni" are bend inward and upper ends
of the "Uni" are bend outward so that those
Uni fit best into the holes. The length of "Uni"
are 6 Tokhoi, except the four corner "Uni"
which are about 6.5 feet.
These "Ulavch", "Khana", "Morovch",
"Uni" and "Khalgas" constitute a
" Gashi" and after the Gashi
is covered with felts, it become a "Chomchog".
A " Golden Ganderi" (
or Golden Ganjir,
a cone-shaped ornament made of metal, usually found
on the roof of Lamaist temples ) was used to be
placed on top of the Chomchog ( a sign of Lamaism
influence in Mongol region) since the widespread
of the Lamaism in Mongol region.
The " Toono" ( the top opening
of a yurt, serve as a window of the yurt ) of the
Chomchog is not on the center of the roof, it is on
the lower front of the "Ganjir". During a
ceremony, the upper part of the "Chomchog"
would be covered with a golden colored cloth with a
bluish green broad brim, this is why the Chomchog is
also called "Golden Ordon".
The Eight White Ordon include the following eight
ordons:
The Ordon of Genghis Khan and Bortegeljin Khatun
Bortegeljin Khatun :
also known as Borte, Genghis Khan's
senior wife; khatun, wife of a
Khan.
Ejen-Khoroo ( Ejen:
Lord; Khoroo or Khoroga
in old Mongol: court;), the original place where
the Ordon of Genghis Khan and Bortegeljin Khatun had
lactated is on the back side of the Bor Tolgoit
and Gojgor Ovoot ( two small hills
) which are on the west side of the Bayan-Changkhug
river in Ejen-Khoroo Banner of
Yikh Juu League (also known as Ordos),
Inner Mongolia , about 50 Gajar
( Mongolian unit of linear measure, 1 Gajar equal
to 1/2 Kilometer) southwest of today's Town of Altanshireet,
the capital town of the Ejen-Khoroo Banner (Banner,
administrative unit of Inner Mongolia, equal to a county).
A stele carved with "the original site
of the Genghis Khan's mausoleum" was placed
on the site in 1956 when the Ordon was removed to the
new mausoleum by the Chinese government.
The original Ordon of Genghis Khan and his wife Bortegeljin
Khatun was located on a granite platform, as a  "double
Chomchog", a structure of two joint Chomchogs.
A Khuurchag ( Khagurchag in classic Mongol,
a case or chest) was placed in the center of the
rear Chomchog ( remember, the Ordon was a double chomchog
) on a table, posing as the relic box of the Khan. The
box was made of silver and 120x77x99.5 in dimensions.
In the box were a relic bag on a small table and a painting
of the Khan with his nine Orlog ( Orlog : the best
and favorite generals of the Khan).
Also some old historical books about the Khan's ceremonies
had been kept in the box. In front of the box, there
were a portrait the Khan and a biography of the Khan
since the 1910's. Various ceremonial implements had
been kept in the Ordon. Unfortunately, these valueless
historical treasures the Mongols had been preserving
for hundreds of years were destroyed by the Chinese
red guards in Sept 1966.
The Ordon of Khulan Khatun
The Ordon of Khulan Khatun had located
in a place called " Khua-Tologai",
15 Gajar southwest of the Ejen-Khoroo. Khulan
Khatun, the daughter of Dair-Usun,
the chief of the tribe of Merged ( according
to the Secret History), was Khan's second wife and
the Khan was very fond of her. The Ordon of Khulan Khatun
was also a "double Chomchog" and there was
also a "Khuurchag" of Khulan Khatun, and a
portrait of Genghis Khan with Khulan Khatun was kept
in.
The Ordon of Gorveljin-goo Khatun
The original site of the Ordon of Gorveljin-goo
Khatun is on the southern hill of Davaan
Shili in the Bor-Tokhoi Sum, Jungar
( or Juun Gar) Banner, Ordos, 240
Gajar east of the Ejen-Khoroo. There have been many
dispute over if Genghis Khan had had a wife called Gorveljin-goo.
The Ordon was also a "double Chomchog", a
"Khuurchag" of the Khatun made of sandalwood,
coated by silver of gold plate had been kept in and
there had been also two swords of the years of Genghis
Khan and some historical and ceremonial books.
The Shitugen of the Ondogon Chagaan Horse
Ondogon Chagaan Horse was a pure white
stallion standing for the sacred horse of the "Eternal
Blue Heaven" in which the Khan believed. A
live incarnation (Amid Burilwaa in Mongol) of
the Ondogon Chagaan Horse was grazing freely in the
vast grassland of Bor-Tokhoi and nobody
should approach it except the Darkhad. If the Ondogon
Chagaan Horse was getting old, a colt of between 1-2
years old ( Daaga) would be chosen to substitute
the old .The eyes and hooves of the colt should be jet-black,
and all the hairs of the colt should be snow-white,
even should not supposed to have a string of colored
hair after a few years. Any defects were not allowed
in any organs of the colt. Since the "Shitugen"
of the Ondogon Chagaan Horse was a live incarnation,
there was no Ordon for the sacred horse.
The Ordon of the Bor-Undur
The Bor-Undur was a "Eseg-in
Khunug" ( a bucket for fermented mare's
milk ).
At the time when the Khan presented 99 white mares'
milk offering to the Above 99 Heavens
( Tengger) by the river of Kherelun,
he saved the milk in this bucket. Ever since then, this
bucket had been used only when the Khan presents offering
to the 99 Heavens every year. After the Khan's death,
the bucket was used to save the white mare's milk offering
to the "Everlasting Blue Heaven" during the
Genghis Khan offering ceremonies. This Khunug also became
one of the eight white"Shitugen" and given
the name "Bor-Undur" by the decree of Khubilai
Khan.
The bucket was a 3 "tokhoi" ( 1 Tokhoi
= 1/3 meter) high sandalwood bucket with three silver
hoops. Two silver crocodile heads, with a silver ring
attached to each of them , were fixed on the rim of
the bucket diametrically. The"Bor-Undur" had
been presented offerings in a small temple by the east
side of the Khatun-Gol ( Khatun-Gol,
the Mongol name of the Yellow River or Huang-He)
in Jungar Banner ( now this place belong to the West
Tumed Banner). Elders said that, theBor-Undur was
also placed in a Chomchog Ordon long time ago.
The Ordon of the Khor Saadag
Khor: the part of a quiver where
the arrowheads are kept. Saadag:
a quiver with arrows. A quiver is called a "
Khoromsaga" or " Khoromsoo".
The Ordon of the Khor Saadag was a Ordon for
the Khan's bows, arrows and quivers. The Ordon was a
single Chomchog and located at a place called "
Khudug", 7-8 Gajar south of the
Ejen-Khoroo long time ago. Later it was moved to various
places around the Ejen-Khoroo. In 1944, the Ordon was
moved to Ejen-Khoroo and placed by the right side of
the Khan's Chomchog. There were three bows and quivers
with arrows kept in the Ordon. Bows were made of antlers
( ol buga-nii ever). One of the bow's bowstring
was 5 Tokhoi long and another was 7 Tokhoi long. The
arrowheads were made of steel and fixed on willow (
Burgas) sticks and eagle ( Burgud) feathers
were glued to the ends of the sticks.
The Ordon of the Jiloo
Jiloo: a rein.
The Ordon of the Jiloo had two separate
Ordon : the upper Khoroo of Jiloo
and the lower Khoroo of Jiloo.
The upper Jiloo was a single Chomchog,
located at the east side of the East Ulaan River,
90 Gajar northeast of the Ejen Khoroo. A Shitugen
of a isabella ( yellowish, "Sharga")
gelding, standing for the Khan's eight isabella geldings
( about the eight horses, refer to the "Secret
History") had been presented offering here.
Also a live incarnation of the isabella gelding was
taken care by the Darkhad. A gold plated white sandal
saddle, said to be used by the Khan, was also kept in
the Ordon of the upper Jiloo. Except the saddle, a whole
set of horse utensils, including Khajaar
( halter) , Jiloo ( rein),
Doroo (stirrups), Golom
(leather saddlecloth), Olong
(the right-hand saddle girth), Jirem
(the two left-side girths) and Daruulga
(the two pairs of metal ornaments that holds the cushion
to the saddle frame) and some gold and silver plates
were kept there.
The lower Jiloo had been located south
of the upper Jiloo ( so it was called lower Jiloo),
around a place called " Khua-Tologai"
in the south part of Jiun-Wang Banner.
Around 1910's, that place was occupied by the Chinese
peasants from the south, and the Ordon had to be moved
to various places and finally emerged into the new Mausoleum
in 1956. In the lower Jiloo Ordon, similar to the upper
Jiloo, a live incarnation of the eight isabella geldings
and an entire horse utensil had been presented offerings.
The saddle kept there was decorated by steel-made designs.
Experts from Hungry and Mongolia
during 1956-1962 confirmed that the saddle was a 12-century
antique. The treasures kept in these Ordon were also
destroyed or robbed by the Red Guard of China.
The Ordon of the Shang-in Orgoo
Shang: reward(s), award(s), prize(s);
treasure. Orgoo: honorary term
of a yurt.
This Ordon had located by the Ordon of Khan and Khatun.
Golden and silver articles, jewelry and old books on
Mongolian history and the Khan's ceremony had been kept
in the Ordon. "Chagaan Tukh"
( White History), "Ulaan Tukh"
( Red History) "Shar Tukh"
(Yellow History) and "Altan Bichig"
(Golden Document/Book) were among the books.
Beside the above eight ordons compose the Eight White
Ordon, there were also dozens of ordon Shitugen in Ordos.
It is necessary to mention the " Sulde"(
or Süld, means spirit, symbol or emblem in modern
Mongol language) Shitugens because of their important
role among the Mongols. There were Chagaan
( White), Khara ( Black)
and Alag (black-and-white, multi-color
or colorful) Suldes in Ordos.
Genghis Khan's Khara Sulde
The Khara Sulde or "Chinggis
Khan-nii Kharia Yikhit Khara Sulde" is
also called "Dorven Kholt Khara Sulde"
( Khara Sülde with four feet).
 Folk stories mentioned
that the Khara Sulde would be raised when the Khan was
in a war. The Chagaan ( White) Sulde was raised
during the time of peace or in a place away from war.
The Khara Sulde was the Khan's battlefield banner,
standing for the power of the "Everlasting Blue
Heaven" which can concentrate and mobilize the
spirit and power of all Mongols to defeat their enemies
in all time in all directions.
The place where the Khara Sulde was worshipped in
Ordos was called "Shine-in Khushuu"
in the former Jiun-Wang Banner where the Ulaan
Muren river and Khokh Usun river
meet. Later when the Chinese peasants started to cultivate
the area, the Sulde was forced to move north, finally
settled in now-a-day's Sulde-in Khoroo Gachaa
( Gachaa, the lowest Municipal
unit in Inner Mongolia) of the Bor-Toig Sumu
( Sumu: township), Ejen-Khoroo Banner ( Banner:
Khushuu in Mongol, County). On June 14 of the 1956,
the Khara Sulde was moved to the new Mausoleum.
The Sulde consists of a about one Tokhoi long double-edged
spearhead like steel called " Jelme",
a plate like silver " Char"
with 9x9=81 holes along the rim and a " Shilvi"---
a long wooden pole serve as the handle of the Sulde.
The "Char" would be fixed to the Jelme
a short distance from the Jelme's lower end and the
"Shilvi" would be inserted into hole on the
lower end of the Jelme and would be wedged by a silver
wedge ( Shongnuurga) and then the joint would
be wrapped by white silk.
" Khukhuul", bunches
of chestnut stallions mane, would be tied to the holes
of the "Char" by leather strings made of black
goat's skin. The "Shilvi", was 13.5 Tokhoi
long and made of cedar. A 12 Tokhoi long yellow silk
"coat" with 1000 buttons would be put onto
the Sulde and a supporting Shilvi would also be fixed
to the main Shilvi to ensure the main Sulde's stability.
Then the Sulde's main Shilvi and the supporting Shilvi
would be inserted into the holes on the back of giant
a stone-carved tortoise.
Four " Elchi" (
means a messenger or courier , sometimes assistant of
a Khan) Sulde ( Elchi Sulde was shorter than
the main Sulde, the Shilvi of the Elchi Sulde was 9
Tokhoi) stand around the main Sulde and fastened
up to the main Sulde with a 13 Tokhoi long rope made
of stallion mane with yellow silk coat. The four Elchi
Sulde stand around the main Sulde serve as the four
feet of the Khara Sulde.
Since the Sulde was said to descend from the high
Heaven, it should always be exposed to the Heaven and
accompany with the Heaven, and for this reason, the
Sulde had been offered in open place for hundreds of
years and it should never be placed under any shelter.
Also, because the Sulde was the Khan's very important
Shitugen, the offering ceremonies of the Sulde had been
held separately from the ceremonies of the Khan and
had its unique procedures and schedules of ceremonies.
The offering ceremonies of the Khara Sulde were:
Baga Dailga ( baga means
small or not big, dailga means
offering ceremony), held on every 1st days of a
month and a Jalgamj--- continuing offering were
held on each 3rd days of a month, Juslang-in Dailga
( summer time ceremony) , held on the 3 day of
the 7th month of a year according to the Ordos calendar
(the 7th month is the 1st month of the summer).
Yikh Dailga (grand offering), held
on 14th day of the 10th month of a year by Ordos calendar
and Togshiulkh Dailga on the 5th day of
the first month of the winter in every Dragon year.
Alag Sulde:
Alag Sulde had been presented offerings
in the Nangsu Gachaa of Chagaan-Tologai
Sumu, Otog Banner for many years. It had
its own Darkhad and Yaamutad. According to elders in
the area, the Alag Sulde was the Sulde of Khavutu
Khasar, one of younger brother of the Khan and
known to the world by his excellent archery skills.
The Alag Sulde was similar to the Khara Sulde except
the decoration on its Shilvi and Ochir Jelme
( the spear-like steel).
It was called Alag Sulde, likely because of that
decorations. The Khukhuul of the Alag Sulde was also
made of the mane of chestnut stallions ( not from
black and white stallions as some people say).
Chagaan Sulde:
Yisun Kholt Chagaan Tug ( white
banner with 9 feet. Tug: banner or flag) or Yisun
Khukhuul Chagaan Tug (white banner with 9
Khukhuul) was mentioned in many historical works
of the Mongols.
The White Sulde ( or Tug) was presented offerings
not only in Ordos, also in Chakhar (
Chakhar: an area including parts of today's
Shilin-Gol League, Ulaanchab
League , also known as Chakhar
Eight Banners) and Khalkha (now-a-day's
Mongolia). The place where the Chagaan Sulde had
been kept is Muu-Bulag Gachaa, Narin-Gol
Sumu, Uushin Banner. The Khukhuul of the
White Sulde was made of mane of white stallions and
8 Elchi Sulde surrounded the main Sulde. The offering
ceremonies of the White Sulde had been held several
times a years ( one of the ceremony was held in the
13th day of the 8th month, Ordos calendar) and a
grand ceremony was in held every 3 year.
According to Russian Mongolist Vladimirtsov
( "The history of the social structure of the
Mongols"?), a Chagaan Sulde was also kept in
the Logosiid Banner in Khalkha and held
offering ceremony in every 3 years.
The
offering ceremonies of the Genghis Khan
The Darkhad and
the Yaamutad
Origin of the Darkhad:
As I mentioned in the beginning of this article,
the Darkhad are people who were put together
by the decree of Khubilai Khan ( also known as Khubilai
Sechin Khan among the Mongols) to handle
the Eight White Ordon's ceremonial matters and protect
the ordons.
By the Darkhad elders, they ( the Darkhad)
are the descendants of the 500 households who were called
up from almost all tribes of the 400,000 blue Mongols
in the Horse year of Khubilai Sechin Khan
to guard the ordons. Darkhad is not a name of a Mongol
tribe, the 500 families were from various tribes,
such as Kherid ( a tribe lived in Midwest
of Khalkha), Shiranod ( said to
be from the Altai mountain) and Oirad
( western Mongols, lived in the area of Dzungar).
Since they were exempt from any taxation and military
service and had the right to collect the needs for offerings
from anybody, they were called Darkhad (one meaning
of the "darkhan" is someone freed from taxation
or official duties) .
The Darkhad had two groups, one was called Baruun
(west side or right wing, right hand side ) Yaamutad
and another was Juun ( east side or
left wing or left hand side) Yaamutad.
The Baruun Yaamutad was also called Yikh Tala
( grand side) or Bogd-in Darkhad
( Darkhad of the Bogd. Bogd: holly or holiness, Lord.
a term to address sb. is considered holly among the
Mongols, such as Genghis Khan) and
the Juun Yaamutad was also called "Baga Tala"
( minor side) or Sulde-in Darkhad
( Darkhad of Sulde).
Arulad ( descendants of Boorchu's
clan, who was a long time friend and one of the best
general of the Khan), Kherid ( descendants
of Wang Khan's tribe, who was the
sworn brother of the Khan's father),
Joigurchin, Baragud, Merged, Boronud, Torgod,
Mangud, Orod, Khongirad were among the Baruun
Yaamutad and Jalair ( descendants of
Mukhulai's tribe, who was also
a close friend and one of the best general of the Khan)
and Khonkhotan, Agtachin, Khonichin, Suldus, Sonid,
Longkhochin, Bagatur ( Baatar), Oriyankhan were
among the Juun Yaamutad ( beside these people, many
others were also among the Darkhad. Also, apparently,
the names of the tribe/clan such as Agtachin, Khonichin
are not the original names of the people. About the
names of tribes in Ordos, can refer to works of A.
Montaert of Belgium
and others) .
The administrative system of the Darkhad
The administrative structure of the Darkhad was set
up by the Khubilai Khan's decree and had maintained
its original shape for long time. During the Manchu
Empire's rule over Mongolia, in spite of fatal
changes had been made to the original Mongolian administrative
structure ( such as setting up the Banners and Leagues)
, the Darkhad's administrative structure had been kept
alone without major changes.
Jinong:
Jinong was the highest official ( Noyan)
of the Darkhad. During the Mongol Empire,
Jinong was a high ranking official in charge of the
ceremonial affairs and after the Mongol state returned
to Mongolia (in 1368, Toghon-Temur
Khan retreated from Peking
to Mongolia with his officials
when the Chinese rebellions reached
Peking and the Mongol state had been lasted in Mongolia
until 1634, when the
last Grand Khan of the Mongols died in Khokh-Nuur
and the Manchu people took over the Inner Mongolia)
, the Jinong title was shifted to the official who mainly
in charge of the state affairs ( a role similar to
prime minister) and also in charge of the ceremonial
affairs additionally.
Under the Manchu rule, the authority of the Jinong
was greatly reduced, but still remained as a head of
the Darkhad and appointed directly by the Manchu court.It
was common during the Manchu empire that the governor
of the League ( or Chuulgan) or
even a head of a Banner was appointed as a Jinong. After
the Manchu empire's collapse in 1911, the administrative
structure of the Darkhad was also remained and the governor
of the Yikh Juu Chuulgan ( league)
Shagdarjab was the Jinong and after his
death his son Ochir-Khuyagtu succeed the
Jinong and finally, Tobshin-Jirgal, governor
of the Jiun-Wang Banner was in charge of the Jinong
until his death in Jan. 1949. The Communist Chinese
government then abolished the whole administrative system
of the Darkhad, along with the Jinong and there has
been no Jinong since then.
A Jinong was neither a Darkhad nor a Yaamutan
(Yaamutan: single form of Yaamutad) and only
a person who belongs to the Altan Urug
( Golden Branch, people who are descendants of the
Khan) should be qualified to the Jinong position.
Yaamutad:
Yaamutad were a kind of officials among
the Darkhad in charge of holding the offering ceremonies
and other matters related to the Eight White Ordon and
the ceremonies. As I mentioned, the Jinong had been
the head of the Darkhad, but generally, the Jinong had
been a kind of honorary title of the official who attend
and hold the ceremonies on behalf of the Mongol
court. The Jinong had been not in charge of
the daily/routine matters of the ceremonies and instead
of Jinong, the Yaamutad had been handling these matters.
People usually said there were eight Yaamutad, but
in fact, except the Eight Grand Yaamutad
( Naiman Yikh Yaamutad), there were many other
Yaamutad. I mentioned before that there were Right
Wing Yaamutad and Left Wing Yaamutad
among the Darkhad, the 8 Grand Yaamutad known to the
people were the 8 executive ( Guichetkheekh)
Yaamutad of the Right Wing. These 8 Yaamutad
were:
Taishii: Taishii Yaamutad
were the executive head of the Darkhad. There were Manglai
Taishii, Ailtkhal Taishii, Akhalakh Taishii
and Taishii among the Taishii Yaamutad.
Taibuu: in charge of preparations
and arrangements of the ceremonies. There were Chargi
Taibuu, Akhalakh Taibuu and Taibuu.
Manglai: in charge of the general
matters. Also in charge of starting ( announcing)
all the ceremonies. Dotor-in Manglai, Gadna-in
Manglai, Yikh Manglai and Baga Manglai
were the titles of the Manglai Yaamutad.
Khonjin: In charge of the music
and songs during a ceremony. There were Chargich
Khonjin, Yoroolch Khonjin, Yilguusan Khonjin.
Khokhoo: also called "
Khokhchin", in charge of reading
the oaths and odes to the Khan during a ceremony and
also in charge of announcing a khan's decree during
the Darkhad collecting needs from the Mongols. The Khokhoo
also had Wuijing Khokhchin, Ching Jorigtu
Wuijing Khokhchin, and Khokhchin
these three titles.
Tuuli: in charge of presenting
the offerings during the ceremonies.
Khasaa ( khasaga
in classical Mongol): in charge of maintaining the
order during the ceremonies. There were Jasuul
Khasaa, Akhlakh Khasaa and Khasaa.
Charvi ( Charbi
in old Mongol): in charge of serving ( pouring
) the wine ( Sarkhud) during the ceremonies.
Ugtuul Charvi, oolon Charvi, Khariulch Charvi
were the titles of the Charvi Yaamutad.
Except these Eight Grand Yaamutad of the Right Wing,
there had been also many right wing Yaamutad such as
Khuur-Chargit, Khariul-Manglai, Galch, Yorooch,
Ugtuul, Sungch, Jasuul,
Khaalgach, Khuj-Jalagch, Charguch.
But these Yaamutad hadn't had the administrative authority
over Darkhad.
Juun ( left wing) Yaamutad:
The left wing/side Yaamutad were also
called Sulde-in Darkhad ( Darkhad of
the Sulde) or BagaTala ( minor
side). The Left Yaamutad somehow had kept the Mongolian
military structure innovated by the Khan. Elders said
the Baruun Yaamutad were from the Mongolian court/government
and the Juun Yaamutad were from the army. There were
also eight major Yaamutad among the Left Wing:
Jaisang, Chingsang, Tumetu, Mingatu, Juutu,
Tuuli, Khokhchin and Charvi.
Beside these eight major Yaamutad , there were also
Yaamutad such as Shuurugchi, Khushuuchi Baator,
Darkhan Baator, and Gavshgai Baator
among the Left wing.
Darkhad were people who were subjected to be in the
mourning for the Khan's death forever by the decree
of the Khubilai Khan, so they should not take any official
positions, should not be in any other mourning and also
were exempt from any taxation and official duties.
The offering
ceremonies of Genghis Khan
From the very beginning, the Mongols have been conducting
offering ceremonies to their ancestors and the "Everlasting
Blue Heaven".
The offering ceremonies to Genghis Khan's Ordon Shitogen
can be described into Susug-in Dailga, Monthly
Dailga and seasonal Dailga these
three categories.
 Susug-in
Dailga(s) were held on the request of the
pilgrims. Pilgrims could choose any appropriate days/time
to offer their offerings to the Khan. Offerings could
be least from a Khem (about 1/2 kg)
of butter to a "Buda Mal" (Buda
Mal, the "large cattle", including horses,
camels and ox).
Monthly and seasonal Dailga(s) had had fixed days
and offerings.
Monthly Dailga:
Chagaan Sar-in Dailga: Chagaan
Sar ( means White Moon
or White Month in Mongol) is
the first month of a year according to the Mongol/Ordos
calendar. Chagaan Sar-in Dailga were held in
the first day of the Chagaan Sar (Shiniin Negen in
Mongol) and the third day of the Chagaan Sar (Shiniin
Gurvan).
The offerings on the Shiniin Negen were: 9 sheep's
otkho ( cooked whole sheep/ox/horse also called
Shuus) , 9 Khem ( 1 khem
wine = 1/2kg) wine, Over 100 kg Jangsa Boorsog
( a kind of braided pastry/cookie fried in butter),
3 buckets of jujubes ( ulaan chavga),
5 kg combinations of rock candy, sugar, cane sugar,
honey and raisin.
The offering procedure, according to an old ceremonial
book were:
Presenting Nindar (silk or khadag---a
long narrow, specially made band of silk or other material
for presentation on formal occasions as a gift or mark
of esteem), presenting Jula ( butter
lamp ), presenting otkho , presenting
Khuji ( incense stick), Gal
Takhikh (presenting offerings to fire, usually
wine and pieces of cooked fat of sheep tail), Arban
Yaamu Tookh ( distributes the shares to the
10 Yaamutad, certain Yaamutad would take certain pieces
of meats of the otkho), Yikh ochig ochikh
(reading the grand oath), presenting Sarkhud
(wine offering), Singing the 12 songs,
Yaamu Tookh ( distributing the shares
to the 8 Yaamutad, they also would get certain pieces
of meats) , Gadnaa-in Yorool Tevinee
(reading Yorool of outside. Yorool:
an article addressed for blessing or praising, a benediction
), Dotor Khuji Duudnaa (reading
the Yorool of incense), Chagu Khariulnaa
(returning the wine. Chagu:
a ceremonial implement for holding small amount of wine,
a kind of wine cup. khariulnaa:
take something back to its original place, buchaanaa),
otkho Khariulnaa ( returning the otkho
), Khunkh-in Yorool Tevinee ( reading
the Yorool of khunkh.
khunkh, a ceremonial implement for holding
large amount of wine ).
These procedures, however, were somehow altered since
the time of the wide spreading of the Lamaism in Mongol
region. A Lamaism benediction called "Ejen
Sang (or Ubsang)" was read in the
beginning of every Dailga (the Ejen Sang would be
read again in the afternoon).
The Chagaan Sar-in Dailga conducted
in early years of this century had the following procedure:
Ejen Sang Tevikh (conducting the Ejen
Sang, such as burning Archa---
juniper leaves and incense
) and reciting the Ejen Sang (click
here to read a section of the Ejen Sang in Mongol),
Golomt Takhikh ( Golomt:
hearth or fireplace in a yurt. Golomt Takhikh:
present offerings to the hearth) and reciting
the Golomt ochig, presenting the Nindar offering
and reciting the Nindar Daatgal (
Daatgal : an article read in a prayer
), presenting the Jula offering and reciting
the Jula Daatgal, reciting the ochig,
presenting the otkho offering and reciting
the otkho Daatgal, presenting the Sarkhud offering
and reciting the Sarkhud Daatgal, singing the
12 songs, presenting the incense offering and
reciting the incense Daatgal, reciting the Khonkh
Daatgal , returning the otkho (from the offering
table) and Yaamu Tookh (Yaamutad
took their shares of the otkho).
The offerings of the Shiniin Gurvan were: 3
sheep's otkho, 3 Khem of Arikh
( wine) and certain amount of Boorsog
and sweets and candies.
Second month's Dailga ( in Ordos
Calendar , the 2nd month of a year is the Tavan Sar
or the fifth month): On the Shiniin Negen (first
day of the month) : a sheep, a khem of Arikh (wine).
On the Shiniin Gurvan (the 3rd day): 3 sheep,
3 khem of Arikh. Of course there were Boorsog and sweets,
needless to mention. I'll only mention the "big
offerings" in the followings.
Third month's Dailga (Jurgaan Sar or the
6th month in Ordos calendar): same as the 2nd month's
Dailga. The 21st day of this month was the main day
of the Genghis Khan's Grand Dailga---"Chagaan
Surugin Yikh Dailga".
Fourth month's Dailga ( Doloon Sar
or the 7th month in Ordos) : same as the 2nd month.
In every 3 years, the Gashi of the Khan's Ordon would
be renewed. The renewal would start from the Shiniin
Naiman (the 8th day of a month) of this
month and an offering of 1 sheep and 1 khem Arikh would
presented on the day before the renewal start.
Fifth month's Dailga (Naiman Sar
or the 8th month in Ordos) : the Shiniin Negen and
Shiniin Gurvan Dailga were same as the 2nd month's Dailga.
From 10 to 12 in this month, a offering ceremony
called "the Miliyaguud-in Dailga
(Chomchog Ordon-aan miliakh)" especially
for the Khan's Chomchog Ordon would be held.
Sixth month's Dailga ( Yisun Sar
or the 9th month in Ordos): the Shiniin Negen and
Shiniin Gurvan Dailga were same as the 2nd month's Dailga.
A series of Dailga called "Uurag Khurgan
Dailga" would be held between 10-25 of
this month. Seventh month's Dailga ( Arvan
Sar or the 10th month in Ordos): the Shiniin Negen
and Shiniin Gurvan Dailga were same as the 2nd month's
Dailga . The 27th day of this month was the day of Taij-in
Dailga ( Taij: people who are the descendants
of the Khan). a otkho of a mare and 9 sheep, 9 khem
Arikh would be offered during this Dailga.
Eighth month's Dailga (Dund Sar
or Teriun Khuiluur/Khoolour Sar
in Ordos): same as the 2nd month's Dailga .
Ninth month's Dailga (Suul Sar
or Suul-in Khuiluur/Khoolour Sar
in Ordos): same as the 2nd month's Dailga .
Tenth month's Dailga (ovol-in
Ekhin Sar --- the first month of the winter---
in Ordos): the Shiniin Negen Dailga was same as
the 2nd month's Dailga . About the Shiniin Gurvan Dailga,
see the Seasonal Dailga.
Eleventh month's Dailga (Khara
Khujir Sar in Ordos): same as the 2nd
month's Dailga .
Twelfth month's Dailga (ooljin
Sar in Ordos): the Shiniin Negen and
Shiniin Gurvan Dailga were same as the 2nd month's Dailga
.
The 23rd day of this month (on 24th day in some
places) is the day to present offering to the fire
(Gal Takhikh). On this day a grand offering of
3 sheep and 3 khem Arikh would be presented to the Golomt
of the Khan's Ordon.
On Bituun (the last day of
a year according to the Mongol/Ordos calendar),
there would be also a Dailga.
The Seasonal Dailga:
Esug-in Dailga of the spring: held
on the 21st day of the 3rd month. Refer to the "Chagaan
Surugin Yikh Dailga".
Nuur-in Yikh Dailga of the summer:
Nuur: a lake. Yikh:
grand, big, large.
This Dailga had been held on the 15th day of the
5th month.
otkho of 9 sheep and a mare along with 9 khem Arikh
were the offering presented during this Dailga. A ceremonial
article called "Altan Ordon nu/ni Yikh Manglai
Tool" would be recited only at this Dailga.
Shurgin Dailga of the Autumn/Fall:
Shurge: a halter (?) for a Unaga
( unaga, a horse under the age
of 1 year, a foal). 12th day
of the 8th month of a year was the day of this dailga.
Offerings presented at this Dailga were same as the
Summer Dailga mentioned above.
Tesemen Dailga of the winter: Teseme/Tesme:
straps made of animal (esp. a goat) skin.
The 3rd day ( Shiniin Gurvan) of the 10th month of
a year was the day of this Dailga. Offerings were same
as the Summer Dailga mentioned above.
Chagaan Surugin Yikh Dailga was the
Dailga of the spring (also called Esug-in Dailga)
and was the largest Dailga of the Khan and the
Eight White Ordon. It is necessary to give some details
of this grand Dailga in particular.
The Chagaan Surugin Yikh Dailga
According to "Altan Bichig",
a classic record of the Dailga of the Eight White Ordon,
the following amounts of offerings were subjected to
the Dailga : "Ordos Tumen (
Ordos Tumen, can be directly translated into
the 10,000 people of Ordos. The
people of Inner Mongolia are mainly
the descendants of the Mongol army. a Tumen
or Tumetu which consists of 10,000
soldiers or 1000 Arbatu or 100
Juutu or 10 Mingatu,
was the largest unit of the Mongol military structure
innovated by the Khan. So we can say in some level that
the Ordos people are probably the descendants of the
Tumen which garrisoned in Ordos)
a horse, 100 Arikh, Uriyankhan/Uriyankhai
and Chakhar Tumen also a horse each, 100
Arikh each, Yushiebu 3 horse, 300 Arikh,
Khalkha 3 horse, 300 Arikh, Tumed
3 horse and 300 Arikh,.... Khagan (
Khagan, the Grand Khan
or the Khan of the Khans in classic
Mongol writing ), Jinong 3 Araja,
Khaad ( plural of Khan.
Khan was usually a head of a League
or sons of the Khagan in classic
Mongol writing) 2 Araja, Taij 1 Araja,
...", . Beside the great amount of the offerings,
also its long lasting time and the great scale of the
Dailga made this Dailga became the largest Dailga of
the Khan.
The preparation of the Dailga:
The preparation of the Chagaan Surugin Yikh Dailga
would start from the 10th day of the 3rd month.
The bridge over the Changkhug river
east of the Khan's Ordon should be fixed well for the
passing of the Khan's Ordon when the Eight White Ordon
assemble together on the Dailga.
The assemble of the Eight White Ordon (
Naiman Chagaan Ordon Jigilekh):
Only on the Chagaan Surugin Dailga, the Eight White
Ordon would come together ( Jigilekh). In the
night of the 17th day of the month, the Eight White
Ordon should all come to the Ejen Khoroo.
 The Khan's
Ordon, the Ordon of Khulan Khatun, the Ordon of Khor-Saadag,
the Ordon of the Jiloo and the Ordon of
the Shang should come to the west bank of the
Changkhug river and the Ordon of Gorveljin-goo
khatun, the Ordon ofBor-Undur and the
Ondogon Chagaan Horse should come the east bank.
On the 18th day of the month, the Khan's relic box
and the Bortegeljin Khatun's relic box ( Chindar-in
Khuurchag) would be loaded into the Chomchog
of the Khor-Saadag on the Shara Khasag
(Khasag, Mongolian traditional cart
made of w ood; Shara, yellow)
and the cart would be pulled by two white camels to
the west bank of the river where the Khan's Golden Ordon
was set up.
The Jinong and the Khan's descendants ( Altan
Urug), all ranks of officials would follow the cart
right behind and ordinary Mongols (Khara, Shara
) would also follow behind. After the Khan's relic box
was placed into the Golden Ordon, a offering would be
offered to every Ordon and then the eight ordons would
be led to their official ceremonial locations:
 The Ordon
of Khor Saadag would be at the west most, then
the Ordon of Jiloo, the Ordon of the Khan
( Golden Ordon), the Ordon of the Shang, the Gorveljin-goo
Khatun's Ordon , and the Ordon of Bor
undur would be aligned into a line from the
west the east. The Ondogon Chagaan Horse would be tied
in front of the Borundur.
Then an offering would be presented to all the Ordon.
There would be no Dailgas on the 19th day. Pilgrims
can offer their own offerings on this day.
On the 20th day, a Dailga called "Garil (or
Garili)" would be conducted. 8 sheep and a horse
would be presented to the Eight Ordon. A ceremony of
special style would be held during this Dailga.
The Grand Dailga on the 21st day:
Altan Gadas:
In the morning of the day, the "Altan
Gadas" ( Altan: Golden;
Gadas: a pole for tying horse;
This " pole", however,
was not a real pole, a person would pose as
a pole) would be set up in front of the Ondogon
Chagaan Horse ( however, the horse would not be tied
to the Altan Gadas). The man posing
as the pole was said to be a descendant of one who had
committed crime ( the tale is : there was a real
golden pole before. But somebody stole and sold the
pole. Then he was put into the position of the pole
after being captured). The person's feet would be
buried in sand and something should be written on the
sand (it is unclear what was the writings now).
Esug-in Sachulga (tsatslag):
Esug: mare's milk. Sachulga:
act of casting milk or wine to the heaven or the earth
for blessing sb. or asking for blessing.
At the dragon hour of the day, the Darkhad would
lead Jinong and other official to the table set up in
front of the Ondogon Chagaan Horse and would present
a otkhoo and a khem of Sarkhud
to the horse and the horse would be decorated by 3x9=27
white silk bands. After then, they would enter the Golden
Ordon and offer Jula ( butter lamp),
Khuj ( incense) and 3 Tavig
(or Tabig).
Then a khem of Sarkhud and a otkho
would be presented to theBor-Undur. 300 Jing ( 1
Jing=1/2 kg) of 99 white mare's milk would be filled
in theBor-Undur and the Esug would be cast into the
air and onto the earth, first by the Jinong, then the
officials of the Banners. They would run around theBor-Undur,
Altan Gadas and the White Horse one by one and use a
implement called " Chochoge"
to cast the milk. An article called the "99
white mare milk's casting yorool" (99
Chagagchin nii Suun Sachulgan nii yorool) would
be recite when the Sachulga starts.
The Grand Dailga inside the Ordon
After having started the Sachulga,
Jinong would return to the Golden Ordon to hold the
Grand Dailga. Meanwhile, Taijs would hold the Dailga
of the other ordons. Thus the offering ceremony of this
Grand Dailga of the Eight White Ordon would start.
First, at the Jinong's arrival, a sheep
called "Shivshilgen nii khoni"
would be killed (by the way, the custom of the Mongols
to kill a sheep is : first a short cut would be cut
on the belly of a sheep and the man who kill the sheep
stretches his hand through the opening to the sheep's
back bone and tear up the artery next to the backbone)
by the Galch Yaamutu when the Jinong was
holding down the sheep. The Khokhechin Yaamutu
would read the Yorool of Shivshilge.
Then, the Jinong would lead the group, kneeling down
on the carpet in front of the Khan's relic box to present
offering to the Golomt. Tuuli
and Charbi Yaamutu would present the offerings.
Meanwhile, "Golden Ordon's Grand ochig of
the Golomt" (Altan Ordon nii Golomt-in
Yikh ochig) would be read. After presenting the
offerings to the Golomt, Ninder, Jula
and otkho would be presented to the Khan.
Then the "Gadana -in Dailga"
(outside Dailga) would start.
Jinong and the group would move to outside of the
Golden Ordon and Jinong would present three times of
Sarkhud and then all officials and
Taijs would present their Sarkhud offerings until the
12 songs came to the end. After the 12
songs, Yikh Duu ( Yikh:
grand, big; Duu: song) would
start. After the Yikh Duu, Khokhochin Yaamutan
and other Yaamutan would read the Yikh ochig.
After then, Sungch, Manglai, Jasuul and
Khaalgach these four Darkhad would present
wine offerings and "Gadana-in Yorool"
( Yorool of outside) would be read
by the Khokhochin Yaamutu. Then
the wine ( Sarkhud) would be distributed to all
the Mongols who came to the Dailga as share (
Kheshig) of the Dailga.
Then Jinong and the group would move into the Chomchog
of the Khan again to start the "Dotora-in
Dailga" (inside Dailga). Jinong
and officials would present the sarkhud prepared by
the Darkhad and the Khokhochin Yaamutu would read the
"Dotora-in Yorool" (
Yorool of inside). Then the Kheshig
( share) of the Inside Dailaga would be distributed.
There were fixed rule that different titles of Yaamutad
would take different parts of the meat (with bones)
from the otkho. Thus, the Dailga at the
Ordon would come to an end and Mongols from all places
could enter the Golden Ordon to pay their tribute to
the Khan.
Yaamutad should lead the pilgrims, no matter they
were Taij or Kharach, poor
or rich, to present their offerings to
the Khan. Names of the pilgrims would be announced and
Yorool would be read while the pilgrims presenting their
offerings.
After the inside Dailga, the Jinong would return
to the Esug-in Sachulga which would
have been continuing when the Dailga was held in the
Ordon to finish the Sachulga. When the
Sachulga came to an end, Jinong would announce the removal
of the Altan Gadas. Upon the announcement,
the Altan Gadas would head the northwest with his full
speed and should not come to the Ejen Khoroo
again during this Dailga. Khadags, copper and silver
coins offered by the pilgrims to the Altan Gadas would
belong to the poor man.
Right after then, a ceremony called "Altan
Khundaga Shinjikh" ( Altan Khundaga:
golden wine cup; Shinjikh: to observe,
to study, to inspect;) would be held . The Jinong
would place a golden wine cup on the rump of the Ondogon
Chagaan Horse and it was said that the Everlasting Blue
Heaven would bless the Mongols in the coming year if
the cup fell upward on the ground. This observation
of the Golden Cup would be conducted three
times.
It was said that this was a custom at the time when
the Khan was alive. Then the Jinong would come to the
Batu Jele ( Batu:
firm, strong, loyal; Jele or Zel:
a long rope stretched along the ground to which livestock
are attached, tethers for livestock) on which white
foals were already tied. Jinong would hold cupful of
Airag (fermented milk) in a silver
cup and start to asking the blessing for the Batu
Jele and the foals. This ceremony was called
Batu Jele Miliyakh. A Yorool
called Yorool of Batu Jele
would be read. Thus, the daytime Dailga would come to
an end.
Dailga in the night:
Ceremonies of Jutai Shingeekh, Khutug
Miliyakh and Dalalga Dalalkh would
be held during the night of 21.
The customs on the Dailga:
Men who attend the Dailga should wear Deel
( the traditional Mongol garment), hat
and Gutul (Mongolian traditional boots).
Women also should wear Deel, boots
and hat or silk scarf.
Foreigners and women
were used not to be allowed to enter the Ordons.
The miserable
fate of the Eight White Ordon
For hundreds of years, the Eight White Ordon of the
Khan had been preserved as they were built in the beginning
and the offering ceremonies had been held year after
year without disturbance and interruption. The Eight
White Ordon had become the only sacred place for the
Mongols, even the Mongols had been converted to the
Lamaism (Tibetan Buddhism) and
thousands of temples had been built all around the lands
of the Mongols. As the founder of the Mongol nation,
the Khan has been regarded as the son of the Everlasting
Blue Heaven and has become the only icon that
can inspire and unite the Mongols together.
During the Manchu Empire (1636-1911),
the Mongols had high autonomy and the Eight White Ordon
, their offering ceremonies and pilgrimage to the Eight
White Ordon were protected by the Manchu court. However,
followed by the decline of the Manchu empire, the Eight
White Ordon and the reserved lands of the Darkhad around
the ordons faced increasing disturbance and destruction
from the Chinese. Cultivation
by the Chinese peasants in the reserved lands of the
Darkhad had become the great threat to the Ordon's existence
since the Manchu empire's collapse in 1911 and some
of the ordons have had to move from their original locations
to avoid the disturbance. Desertification,
as the result of the cultivation, had totally changed
the scene of the beautiful land which the Khan's had
admired and chosen as his burial place.
On May 17, 1939, over 200 full armed Chinese (China
was controlled by the KMT at the time) soldiers
and officials came to the Ejen-Khoroo and started to
remove the Khan's relic box from Ejen Khoroo. Under
the pretext of protecting the Ordon from the Japanese
(at the time, Japanese reached
Khokh-Khot ( or Hohhot),
the Capital of Inner Mongolia and
Bugut, a city about 200 km east
of Ejen- Khoroo, the city is also
called Bao Tou by the Chinese),
they took the relic box of the Khan with them forcibly,
despite the protests from the Darkhad and the Ordos
Mongols.
A journalist had witnessed the event and wrote: "
Genghis Khan's relic box was taken from the holy
land of Ejen-Khoroo through the sea of tears of the
Ordos Mongols". The KMT government
resettled the Khan's relic box in a Taoist Temple
in the mountain of Xing Longshan in Gan
Su province of China. About 40
Darkhad had accompanied with the relic box to the temple
and they had been presenting the offerings to the Khan
continuously.
After the W.W.II, the Chinese government
still kept holding the Khan's Ordon although there were
increasing demands from the Mongols, including Prince
Demchegdongrov to return the relic box to the
Ejen-Khoroo. Meanwhile, although the Khan's relic box
was taken from the Ejen Khoroo, the Mongols had been
continuously conducting the offering ceremonies to the
Khan. A portrait of the Khan was on the position where
the relic box had been kept.
Also the governor of the Yikh-Juu Chuulgan
( Ordos) and other officials had been visiting
the temple where the Khan's relic box was kept. In the
late summer of 1949, the KMT government removed the
Khan's relic box again with them to the Kumbum
(known as Gumbum among the Mongols)
monastery in Khokh-Nuur when they were
defeated by the Communists and retreated
southwestward. Dozen's of Darkhad came with the Khan's
relic box to Kumbum and Mongol Lamas (Lama: Buddhist
monks of Tibet and
Mongolia) , including Ulaan Gegen,
who were at the monastery at the time welcomed and arranged
a place for the Khan's relic box in the monastery.Then
the offering ceremonies were continued again.
About 20 days after the Khan's relic box arrived
in Kumbum, the monastery was " liberated"
by the People's Liberation Army"
( PLA) and the Khan's relic box
fell into the hands of the Communist China.
Mongols from all over the places, including Alagsha,
Ordos, Khökh-Nuur and Jungaria
(the Oirad Mongols) came
to the Kumbum to pay their tribute and
offerings to the Khan during the time. In 1950, the
PLA reached the Ordos and
then took over the Ordos and entire Inner
Mongolia after encountering with a series of
strong resistance from the Mongols.
Only in my hometown, Uushin
banner of Ordos, about 400
Mongol soldiers were killed when they were rounded up
by the PLA. My grandfather was
a horse keeper of the local Mongol army and he was taking
care of the horses at the night when the PLA rounded
up the camp and he became one of the few who were able
to escape. The next day, two of my mother's
brothers, both about 10 years old at the
time, sneaked up to the battle scene and found hundreds
of corpses laying in the wilds.
The most shocking image they would never forget
was two Buddhist monks, with their
yellow kasaya (an outer vestment
of a Buddhist monk) on and Buddhist sutra
in their hands, were found among the dead. After the
PLA took control of the banner, they executed many people
charging them of being counter-revolutionary.
The governor of the Uushin banner
Khas-Uul (also known as Qi
Yushan) was the first to be executed. Also
many were "struggled" to death in the waves
of political campaigns ever after, including the horrifying
"cultural revolution".
The communist Chinese government, in one hand, they
still kept holding the Khan's relic Box in Kumbum Monastery
and in other hand, abolished the entire administrative
system of the Darkhad in Ordos and turned the Khan's
Grand Dailga --- the Chagaan Surugin Dailga
into a entertaining event of combination
of sports, movie show and
songs and dances which became the part
of the communist propaganda machine.
On April 7, 1954, by the continuous
demands from the Mongols, the Khan's relic box finally
returned to the Ejen Khoroo. On the day
of the Khan's relic box's returning to Ejen Khoroo,
a 15 Gajar long road to Ejen Khoroo was
packed with thousands of Mongols emerged from all over
the region. They burst into tears of joy and offered
milk, Khadag, butter lamp
and other offerings to the Khan's relic box which had
been away from them for 15 years all the
way.
The
New Mausoleum of the Genghis Khan
 On
April 23, 1954, the Chinese government
announced that they would build a mausoleum for the
Khan on the top of the Altan Gandari hill
(Altan Gangari-in shili), without asking
for the Darkhad and Mongols' opinions. A typical
Chinese imperial palace style mausoleum
that consists of main hall, rear hall, east hall,
west hall, east wing hall and west wing
hall along with a front yard and
a rear garden, in spite of the roofs of
the main and east, west hall's imitation over Mongol
yurt, was designed by the government and completed
in May, 1956. All the Eight White Ordon
and other historical relics were summoned
to the new mausoleum by the Chinese government.
The relics summoned to the new mausoleum were:
Genghis Khan and Bortegeljin
Khatun's Chomchog Ordon along with the relic
boxes and all the ceremonial utensils;
The Ordon of the Shang-in Orgoo and
utensils and books kept inside the Ordon;
Shitugen of Khor Saadag;
Chomchog Ordon of Khulan Khatun and relic box
along with the ceremonial utensils;
Shitugen of the Eshi Khatun; Eshi
Khatun: said to be the Khatun of
Toloi. This Ordon had located by the Shabartai
river east of the Ejen Khoroo.
Khara Sulde and its ceremonial utensils;
Upper Jiloo Ordon along with its live
incarnation of the isabella gelding;
Khashkhiraa Yikht Khadan Ulaan Buree;
a large wooden horn said to be used by the Khan's
army. Later used to blow the horn during
the ceremony of Khara Sulde.
A Khet and a small golden
statue of Toloi and other utensils kept in the
Toloi's Ordon Shitugen in Otog Banner;
Khet: a steel tool used by the Mongols
for striking fire; Toloi: the youngest
son of the Khan and father of Monkh
Khan and Khubilai khan.
Alag Sulde of Khavutu Khasar;
Shitugen of Bokh Belgudei; Bokh
Belgudei or Belgudei:
he was the half brother of the Khan and one of the best
general of the Khan.
Tug Sulde Shitugen of the Uigurjin
Kharia ( tribe);
Khara Tug of the Khadagin;
Ejen Shitugen, Khanggin Sulde, Chomchog Ordon
and utensils from Khanggin Banner ; Uigurjin
, Khadagin and Khanggin are all
Mongol tribes.
A saddle presented to the Khan by the
Ligdan Khutugtu Khan from Khanggin Banner;
Ligdan Khutugtu Khan (1592-1634): the
last Grand Khan of the Mongols.
The Chomchog Ordon of Gorveljin-goo Khatun,
utensils and books;
Bor-ud&uoumlr;
Shara Khasag;
On May 13, 1956, all these collections
of relics were moved to the new mausoleum.
A portrait of the Khan was placed
at the center of the main hall and three Chomchog Ordon
were set up in the rear hall and the relic boxes of
the Khan and Bortegeljin
Khatun, Khulan Khatun and Gorveljin-goo
Khatun were placed in the bigger ordon in
the middle. Khavutu Khasar and
Bokh Belgudei were presented offerings
in the west and east side Chomchog Ordon respectively.
Toloi and his Khatun
Eshi were presented offerings in a Chomchog
in the east wing hall and the Khara Sulde,
Alag Sulde and other relics such as saddles,
reins, bows, quivers, swords and horn
were placed in the west wing hall. The Shara
Khasag were placed outside the rear hall.
In 1955, the Chinese government arbitrarily
changed the Khan's Grand Dailga's day from the Chagaan
Surugin Dailga to the summer's Nuur-in
Dailga and prohibited the Mongols to attend
all other monthly and seasonal Dailga at the new mausoleum.
Thus, the Chinese government, in the course of building
the new mausoleum, not only turned the mausoleum
into just a kind of museum which
serves for the interests of the Chinese and turned the
Khan's offering ceremony into a entertainment
fair to prevent the Mongols from developing
a strong ethnic feeling around the Khan through the
ceremony , but in the meanwhile, they arbitrarily changed
and therefore seriously violated the traditional
belief and customs of the Mongols:
--- From the very beginning, the Khan's
relic box and other relics
had been only kept in felt tents
(such as the Eight White Ordon)
according to the Mongol custom
and should never place under any structures
made of other than felt. But the new mausoleum
was built with bricks, stones and
cement.
---From the very beginning time, the
Shitugen of the Khan and others had been
worshipped and presented offerings
separately according to their own
schedules, and should only gather once a year
during the grand dailga. But the Chinese government
put them together forcibly and treats them as usual
antiques instead of the sacred Shitugens
of the Mongols. Also the Chinese government
stopped all other Shitugen's offering ceremonies except
the Khan's Dailga.
---The Mongols believe the Sulde was descended
from the above heaven and should always be worshipped
in an open place without any shelter or obstacles between
the Sulde and the heaven. But the Chinese government
again arbitrarily removed the Sulde into the new mausoleum.
Placing the Shitugens into a structure other than felt
or placing a shelter over the Sulde are serious taboos
for the Mongols and they believe that would bring them
great misfortune.
What's more, in Sept. of the 1966,
a bunch of Chinese red guards broke
into the mausoleum and forced the Darkhad out of the
Mausoleum and started to destroy the valueless treasures
of the Mongols. In the following years of Cultural
Revolution (1966-1976),
all the relics kept in the mausoleum,
along with the Khan's relic box,
were destroyed or robbed (except
3 saddles were able to hide by a Mongol herdsman
) and the mausoleum itself also became a salt
storage.
During that period, tens of thousands of Mongols
were accused of being members of a " counter-revolutionary"
organization--- the Inner Mongolian People's
Party and about 10% of the Mongol
population of Inner Mongolia was wiped out.
That period have become the "darkest
time" of the Mongols ever since the
Mongol nation was proclaimed by the Khan in 1206.
The miserable fate of the Eight White Ordon
exactly reflects the tragedy of the Mongols under the
Chinese rule.
Since 1979, the mausoleum has been repaired
and the Darkhad have returned to the mausoleum and rebuilt
those relics destroyed during the Cultural
Revolution according to their memory, also some photograph
and records. What you'll see in the mausoleum
are those imitations.
A few words on
the expedition campaign to find the Khan's burial place
Recent years, wheels of Toyota Jeeps
and Vaz 69 (Russian military
Jeep) have been rolling over the Altai
mountain, breaking the extreme calmness of
the sacred mountain and also disturbing the hearts of
the Mongols all over the world. It has been said that
10,000 horses were run over the secret site of the Khan's
burial place to erase any trace from one who would attempt
to break into it and ever since then the Conqueror
of the World has been resting in peace.
It was His own will and also was the custom of
the Mongols that any signs should not be left behind
upon his death so that he could enjoy the everlasting
peace after His turbulent life or even can be born again
after 800 years, according to the 771 years old (by
1998) folk story among the Mongols. It has been the
Mongols' custom that nobody is supposed to be touch
their own ancestors bones or even others; It could be
a serious crime under the Khan's "Yikh
Jasag" (Grand Law).
Whoever by whatever reason to find the burial
place of the Khan is outrageous and out-minded, by the
tradition of the Mongol, by the moral standard of the
Mongols and by the common sense of the Mongols. As the
founder of the Mongol Nation, he was not only the Khan
of the Mongols, but has been the father of the Mongols,
as George Washington is the father of the Americans.
Do the Mongols have become so stupid that they
are so eager to dig out, take a look and display to
others their father's bone, or do the Mongols have become
so poor that they have to sell out their father's bone,
or even do the Mongols have become so insensitive that
they don't care about what others are doing to their
father's bone?
What is more ridiculous, under the 70
years of Communist rule, the Khan had been
deliberately depicted as a feudal warlord and barbaric
bloodsucker by the communist government and its "big
brother", but nobody never tried to find out where
the man is resting; Democracy and freedom finally have
reached the steppes known to the world mostly by their
famous conquerors, and the Khan was re-recognized by
His sons to be their father. However, at the same time,
democracy and freedom without compatible law and order
have given the chance to some people of some nation
who had been long waiting to dig out our ancestors bones
by the name of archeology or whatever other reasons.
They may have tried to convince the newborn democratic
government that finding out the Khan burial place is
just as simple as discovering another set of dinosaur
bones from the Gobi, by pure scientific reason and for
pure scientific purpose, I think. But the Khan, as I
mentioned many times, he is not like one of the many
emperors of other countries, such as China, that their
tombs can be broken into and their bones can be displayed
to tourists for profit by their sober-minded descendants'
cool judgment and moral standard. As the founder of
our nation and father of all the Mongols, the matter
of finding the Khan's burial place is a matter of the
people of Mongolia instead of just being a matter of
government's decision by the meaning of the word "
democracy" and also a matter of the
over 700 million strong Mongols
on this planet by the meaning of the word " the
Mongols" and " Mongolia".
His last will was to be laying with peace forever
under the "Everlasting Blue Heaven", so let
the Khan be resting in peace and let the Khan keep blessing
the blue Mongols.
Credits:
Altan Ordon nai Dailaga
All of the first, needless to say, most of the
credit should go to Mr. Sain-Jirgal
and Mr. Sharaldai. Please allow
me to pay my respect to their enormous effort and great
courage to preserve and save the cultural heritage of
the Mongols under the unfavorable circumstance they
are facing.
A Modern Mongolian-English Dictionary
by Gombojav Hangin with John
R. Krueger and Paul D Buell, William
V. Rozycki, Robert G. Service
Indiana University Research Institute for Inner
Asian Studies 1986 ( Cyrillic)
Many of the Mongol terms' translation to English
are based on this dictionary. But there are still a
few words that are not in the dictionary and my broken
English is unable to translate and explain them, so
I just let them stay in their Latin spellings from the
Mongol. ....
Dec 24, 1997, New York
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