If you drink the water from a place, then also follow the customs of that place (Mongolian saying).

Culture is born of history, language and ideas, and many other invisible strands that make up and characterise a distinct group of people like the Mongols. The Mongolian national identity and culture is best seen in practice in the life and traditions surrounding the ger, the nomad’s home, and to a lesser extent in urban life through social costume and business practices. It is clearly present in religious celebrations, national festivals, sport, music, theatre and film. Deeply rooted in the natural environment, Mongolian culture has been moulded under the harshest of climates; the identity of these ancient tribal peoples has survived for hundreds of years within traditional nomadic practices. This is reinforced in a statement, attributed to Genghis Khan, that when the Mongol people lose contact with their nomadic lifestyle, they will lose their true identity. Buddhism, for example, was introduced to Mongolia from Tibet and India.

Although the Mongols conquered vast territories from the saddle, it was impossible to rule these lands from the back of a horse. Instead Kublai Khan moved the Mongol capital from Karkorum in the heartland of the Mongolian steppes, to Beijing in northeast China, from where he and his successors ruled the Mongol Empire during the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368), absorbing Chinese civilization although some say it is the other way around. In the recent times, Mongolia has absorbed political and cultural influences from both of its big neighbours and has been ruled and further influences by them with many consequences. Some 270 years of Manchu rule under the Chinese Qing dynasty (1644-1911) was followed by a revolutionary period in the 1920s and then 70 years of socialist reform under a party communist in all but name that was backed by the Soviet Union. The Mongols are resourceful and resilient. During the Soviet period new opportunities were opened up to them through education in European history and culture.

The isolation of Mongolia during the 20th century – geopolitically culturally and in other ways – is over. The future looks less culturally isolated for Mongolia’s nomadic population as it becomes linked to the towns and settlements via new roads and mobile phones, which bring all Mongolians in line with the realities of global survivals.

Architecture

Nomadic architecture is not carved in stone for posterity, but best represented in the transient materials of wood and cloth, in the form of the circular tent, or ger, the main Mongolian home. It is significant that early Mongolian building styles used no nails in the construction of the buildings. Before the monasteries (16th century) there weren’t cities or towns and villages throughout the country, other than a few scattered ruins of feudal warfare and disunity which lasted for a long period of time. Contemporary city architecture includes the Ardyn Bank building in Ulaanbaatar, listed as one of the best 1000 buildings in the world. It is better known as the Blue Glass or Blue Sabre building, designed by the Mongolian architect G Batsukh.

Literature and Legend

Oral traditions have remained at the root of Mongolian culture and are among the most precious of their arts. Songs and legends travelled widely with the nomads, transmitted by bards, and thus preserved through the centuries. As an unlettered people the nomads left no written accounts and Gobi-like void existed concerning written work until the 13th century. Genghis Khan’s wish to introduce writing among the Mongols shows he was aware of its value in civilization.

The earliest form of nomadic literature begins with The Secret history of the Mongols, often abbreviated to The Secret History. The exact title and origin of this important document is uncertain. Several authors of translations suggest that the title may be taken from the first line of the text. The explanation of the ‘secret’ is that it was kept by the Chinese as a dynastic record and not available to the public - therefore ‘secret’. The big issue is that it was written in Mongolian transliterated into Chinese characters, which no one (except scholars) could read. No complete Mongolian script version has been found. Another early account is the Altan Tobchi, or Golden Chronicle, supposedly written in the early 17th century. The third Mongolian classic is a work called Erdeniin Tobchi, or The Precious Chronicle. All three combine legend and history.

The earliest family histories preserved by herdsmen date back to the 18th century. More recent family records were lost or destroyed in the political purges of the 20th century along with numerous Buddhist manuscripts. These manuscripts comprised single, long leafed, unbound sheets, kept between similar-sized wooden boards or decorated tablets and then wrapped in silk, cotton or leather for protection. European-style bound books appeared in Mongolia shortly before the revolution of 1921.

Secret history of the Mongols

The Secret history of the Mongols, a fusion of history, folklore and poetry, is a unique document in central Asian literature as it is the earliest surviving, Mongolian source about the life of Genghis Khan and his son Ogoidei Khan. Scholars believe it was written in the 13th century – the presumed date is sometime during the 1240s after the death of Ogoidei Khan in 1241. Its author (or authors) remains unknown.

The early part of The Secret History deals with the origins of the Mongol nation, said to descend from the union of a wolf and a doe. The story then enters the real world to provide a historic account of Genghis Khan’s childhood and his rise to power and describes the accomplishments of his son Ogoidei. It portrays the lifestyle, thoughts and beliefs of the 13th century and ends with the instructions given by Ogoidei Khan after his accession in 1228 following the death of Genghis Khan.

Legend

Artistic expression is best captured in the legend of the horse head fiddle or morin khuur, a traditional two string musical instrument which traces its origin back to the time of Hunnu tribes (otherwise known as Xiongnu or Huns), who inhabited the present territory of Mongolia, circa 400bc. The instrument is an integral part of Mongolian culture. There are many folk stories on the origin of the morin khuur Here is one

Once upon a time, a horseman rode through the night sky and spotted the tent of a beautiful herdswomen. He stayed with her for one night and at dawn he rode away. The second night he returned to the women’s delight, but at dawn again he disappeared. After several nights the women determined to keep the horseman by her side. While he slept she crept out to untie his horse and noticed that the animal had little wings above its hooves. In a drastic moment she cut off the horse’s wings. When her lover left the following morning his mount fell to the earth and died. Despairing over the loss of his horse the man grieved night and day. To soothe his sorrow he carved the horse’s head from a piece of wood and transformed it into a two string instrument, using the bone and hide of the dead horse.

Contemporary literature

Modern Mongolian literature was born in the revolutionary period of the 1920s and until then the Oriental trend dominated. Oriental and Western literature developed alongside one another and Mongolian readers gradually became familiar with the world classics. Much of the poetry of the ‘national poet’ Dashdorjiin Natsagdorj (1906-37) is known by heart by the older generation. His lyrics are distinguished by chiselled rhythm of perfect harmony, and the content is about the beauties of the Mongolians countryside. A verse from his poem My Homeland is quoted below: Mongolia’s name resounds through all the world.

My love for her lies deep within my heart

Her tongue, her ways, will hold me till I die-

Eternal home, My Motherland, Mongolia!

Natsagdorj was also a brilliant prose and short-story writer. Another founder of Mongolia’s new literature was the poet and writer S.Buyannemekh along with Ts.Damdinsuren, B.Rinchen, G. Mend- Oyoo and Bavuudorj Tsogtdorj.

Music and Instrument

There is nothing Mongolians love more than music and the urge to burst into song happens spontaneously. Nowadays every country town has a pop group, but the Mongols, like the Irish, on the whole prefer traditional music, which is usually played at weddings and other family festivals, when the local horse-head-fiddle players (morin khuur) and benediction singers (yoroolch) are called in.

The Mongol khans of the 13th century all kept large troupes of dancers and musicians at their courts, accompanied by morin khuur and drums. The famous Melody of Mongolia composed by Jantsannorov, was performed by 108 players at the National Festival of Morin Khuur in Ulaanbaatar in 1989. The National Morin Khuur Ensemble, founded in 1992, has toured internationally and has released a number of CDs.

Other instruments include the yatga or zither, which looks like the Chinese guquin, a seven-stringed plucked instrument. Strings are made from silk, horse hair or goose gut and the instrument is played either holding it upright or placing it flat on a table or on the player’s knees. The khuuchir, a bowed string instrument, uses a small round soundboard covered with sheep or snake’s skin, while its long neck is made from copper or wood. Another bowed string instrument is the shudraga a tree-stringed instrument. Similar instruments were noted in 14th-centery Persian literature from where it spread from Persia into China and Japan. Other instruments include the yoochin, a dulcimer and cymbals, which produce a light, clashing sound, commonly heard in much Asian music and in many countries from Asia to the Baltic. The flute or limbe accompanies the other instruments. It is often played by lone herders to while away the time and its haunting notes may be heard drifting across the grasslands.

The Mongols have always had several singing styles, the most important being tuuli, or ‘epic songs’ – the tales of heroes and great warriors. Tuuli performances can be spread over several days. The length of the songs vary – stages of travel can be marked out by songs which take a long time, although this is also a genre, known as ‘long songs’ (urtyn duu). ‘Short songs’ (bogino duu) are sung at informal occasions (but may be quite long!), with improvised or satirical texts. Galloping tunes and songs in praise of horses are well-known favourites. There is a traditional practice of soothing domestic animals with music, especially to induce them to nurse abandoned lambs and young camels. Specific repetitive encouragements of no specific meaning are said to different animals – ‘toig, toig’ to lambs for example, and khoos khoos to young camels.

Khoomii – Overtone or throat singing

Throat singing (khoomii) involves changing the shape of the mouth and creating overtones in the throat, chest or abdomen to imitate the sounds of nature – bird and animal noises as well as the sounds of storms and rivers. Khoomii is a truly unusual Mongolian vocal technique where one singer produces two voices simultaneously. The sound of the two voices, steely bass combined with a whistle-like tone, produces an overtone that can only be described as otherworldly, although the predominant bass tone sounds more like the hum of a poorly maintained refrigerator than a human voice.

Dance

Folk Dancing

Folk dancing originated in ancient times in connection with the rituals of daily life and nature. Simple circular dances evolved imitating the way birds flew and the way in which animals were trapped by a circle of hunters. A form of this type of dance is accompanied by a tune on the horse – head fiddle. The dancer uses the fluid movements of her arms and upper body to sway to the music. Wrestlers also move in this style between bouts with their arms held high, imitating the flight of the Garuda bird, to celebrate victory over an opponent.

Tsam Dance

In the past, religious festivals included temple dances called tsam dances, in which lamas wearing elaborate costumes and brightly painted papier-Mache masks acted the roles of various Buddhist gods – the red – faced Begze and the blue faced Makhakala, each with three eyes and a tiara of skulls. Garuda, king of the birds, was originally a Hindu deity, but he took on a Buddhist role, first in Tibet and then in Mongolia, becoming a leading characters in tsam dance and dramas.

Tsagaan Ovgon, or ‘white old man’, is also an important legendary figure. The masks are works of art, and are displayed in Mongolian temples and museums.

Tsam dance is being revived after an interruption of more than 60 years. The training of many young people has been a success and leading craftsman have created new costumes and masks for this special ritual dance, which nowadays serves tourism rather than religion.

Arts and Crafts

There are several distinct periods in Mongolian art, which stretches from prehistoric ancient rock art of Paleolithic and Neolithic times to present day sculpture and painting.

Mongolian art

Mongolian art is vibrantly alive. It is inevitably influenced by the country’s long and turbulent history. Artists draw from nature and a kaleidoscope of colour, movement and space, elements that Mongolia enjoys in abundance – endless blue skies, galloping horses across the steppes and the vast open spaces feature strongly.

Mongolian Craft

With the introduction of Buddhism in the 16th century, arts and crafts absorbed elements of Indian, Tibetan and Nepalese art. This is reflected in the Buddhism ritual vessels, incense burners and musical instruments for wind and percussion. Objects of everybody life, dress design and jewellery illustrate the development of crafts, such as leatherwork, applique and embroidery.

In the past, special garments were decorated with small river gems, corals and turquoise, stitched with fine gold thread by women. The same is done today using modern designs. The complex embroidery and applique of coloured leather for saddles, harnesses and leather boots was traditionally achieved by the stronger masculine hand.

The Mongolian ger was richly ornamented in times past and decorated both inside and out.

Folk art

Folk art contains many deeply symbolic meanings hidden in the designs that may decorate the door of the ger or other household utensils. Many of these swirling or geometric designs symbolize prosperity and protection; over time they have been combined and intertwined to express feelings of reverence for the beauty of nature. The most popular motif is the ‘endless knot’ one of the eight sacred symbols of Lamaist iconography.

Religious Art

Buddhism has had an enormous impact on the culture of the Mongols in many spheres of life. Theatre, dance, music, painting and other artistic skills were developed in the monasteries. Thangkas (sacred scroll paintings) are portable icons painted on a sized cotton or silk cloth and framed in a brocade mount; when not in use they can be rolled up and stored. These can also be created in embroidery or applique. Sculptures are made of metal, clay or wood, with the preferred medium being bronze. These may be hand-hammered, but are usually cast in clay moulds by the lost wax method and frequently gilded. Both thangkas and sculptures depict Buddhist deities, historical figures and religious teachers.

Many temples and thousands of Buddhist artefacts were destroyed during the communist purges of the 1930s, but fortunately much artwork was hidden away for safekeeping. Today this art is seen in the newly opened monasteries and museums of Mongolia, and there is a current revival in the tradition of the sacred art of Buddhism.

The most outstanding Buddhist treasures are housed in the collections of the Bogd Khan Green (or Winter) Palace, the Choijin Lama temple, the Zanabazar museum of the Fine Arts and in the temples of the Erdene Zuu.

Zanabazar

Zanabazar (1635-1723), a direct descendant of Genghis Khan, was a remarkable man, both as a monk and as an artist. He became the religious ruler of Mongolia, the first to hold the title of Ondor Gegeen (‘High Enlightened One’). During his long life he greatly influenced religious, social and political affairs and contributed to the country’s development in the arts. He was a scholar, an architect, a costume designer, a linguist, and an artist but above all he was known for his outstanding gilt bronze sculptures.

Banners and flag-making

These crafts continue to employ applique skills, although the manufacture of the rich silks and brocades that lined the gers of the khans has become a memory of the past. There has been, however, a recent revival in modern tent-making, including interior and exterior decoration.