Grass, sand, and legacy
With endless skies over unbounded grasslands, mountains, and desert that stretch for ages, Inner Mongolia not only boasts diversity in its landscapes and geographic regions, but also in its ethnically abundant people. Among its residents are various ethnic and nomadic minority groups that practice many religions from Buddhism to Islam to Catholicism. In the capital city, you can find a temple, mosque, and a church all in one block — amazing! The Mongolians’ high regards for diversity is not modern. In fact, the Mongol Empire was built on conquered lands spanning from East Asia to Eastern Europe. The Mongolian Empire casted a heavy influence on globalization with its stunning ability to unite and rule over so many different cultures that belonged the Europe, Middle East, and Asia. As the Mongolian Empire expanded, so did the movement of religion, goods, ideas, and culture within the empire, leaving behind a legacy of multiculturalism and cultural exchange.
Currently, Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region that belongs to China, while Outer Mongolia is an entirely separate country. However, both lands share the same history and customs that stem from a rich culture of nomadism and closeness to nature.
Bringing my fascination with the Mongolian history to a reality, I traveled up north to Inner Mongolia during my Golden Week, a national holiday that occurs on the first week of October to celebrate the birth of modern China. From the grasslands to the desert and from old temples to modern city life, my friends and I managed to catch a small glimpse of Inner Mongolia’s natural and cultural beauty, in which I have included in some snapshots below. Enjoy!
The Grasslands
The Mongolian Steppes, or grasslands, were once the stomping grounds of Genghis Khan and his court and home to many nomadic families, tribes, wild and domesticated animals like horses, sheep, and cows.
We stayed in the Xilamuren Grasslands for a night where we slept in a ger (or yurt), a tent that is traditionally used by Mongolian nomads for the ease of traveling between seasons.
It was very cold for October but we kept warm by enjoying some traditional grasslands activities such as archery, frolicking with sheep, cows, and horses, and internalizing the natural aesthetics in our surrounding.
The Desert
We paid a visit to the Gobi Desert where the great Khan once led his armies through its harsh conditions and still managed to build the largest contiguous land empire in history.
The desert was significantly warmer, for obvious reasons. We paraded around the Gobi in our glorious sand socks and our new camel friends.
The Temples
The are many temples in Inner Mongolia, along with the rest of China. We visited a few during our trip and although they all serve the same purpose, they are all uniquely beautiful.
Built by Altan Khan, a Mongolian emperor in the Ming Dynasty and a descendent of Genghis and Kublai Khan, the Meidaizhao Temple is a lamasery and an old residence of the Mongolian emperor and his queen. The temple is located right below the Daqing mountains.
The City — Hohhot
We also spent a few days in Hohhot, the capital city of Inner Mongolia, and were pleasantly surprised by the city’s crisp air, relaxed atmosphere, lack of car horns, and excellent food.
For nature lovers, history buffs, and travelers of all shape and form, I highly recommend a visit to Mongolia (inner or outer) as it is definitely worth seeing the Asian nomadic lifestyle out on the steppes as well as learning about the different influences that the Mongolians have had on Asian, Middle eastern, and Western culture. For example, Mongolian conquests influenced Europeans in the middle ages to change their fashion from tunics and robes to shirts with trousers (thank you Mongolian warriors for pants). Although Mongolia is becoming a more popular travel destination, for good reasons of course, much of these lands are still vastly untouched by travelers’ eyes and serve as a good reminder of the earth’s immense wonders of nature that keep us humble and curious.
