What is the introduction to the Mausoleum of Genghis Khan?
It is said that Genghis Khan once led his army through Ordos. Ordos is a geomantic treasure land with abundant water and grass and deer. Genghis Khan was very happy and intoxicated by the beautiful natural scenery. He accidentally dropped his saddle on the ground. When his subordinates were about to pick up the saddle, they were stopped by Genghis Khan. He said to himself that Ordos is: the habitat of sika deer, the home of hoopoe birds, the place where declining dynasties are revitalized, and the place where white-haired old men enjoy themselves. Then, Genghis Khan told his subordinates: "When I die, bury me here."
After Genghis Khan's death, when the hearse carrying his coffin was traveling to Ordos, the wheels suddenly got stuck in the swamp. In the field, even if many cows and horses were hitched, they could not be pulled out. At this time, the general escorting the hearse suddenly recalled what Genghis Khan once said, so he placed Genghis Khan's felt bag, shirt and one sock in Ordos and worshiped them. This was later the Mausoleum of Genghis Khan.
The cemetery of Genghis Khan’s Mausoleum covers an area of more than 55,000 square meters. The main building consists of three Mongolian-style halls and connected gallery rooms. The eagle has a strong Mongolian national style. The first floor of the cemetery is divided into six parts: the main hall, the bedroom, the east hall, the west hall, the east corridor and the west corridor. Among them, the main hall, the east hall and the west hall are composed of three yurt-style palaces lined up. There are corridors connecting the three palaces. On the domes of the three yurt-style palaces, there are shining golden glazed tiles and cloud head flowers made of blue glazed tiles. These are the colors and patterns advocated by the Mongolian people. The main hall in the middle is 26 meters high, with an octagonal plane, a double-eaves yurt-style dome roof, covered with yellow glazed tiles, and the eaves are blue glazed tiles; the east and west halls have unequal octagonal single-eaves yurt-style dome roofs, also painted in yellow. Covered with glazed tiles, it is 23 meters high. In the middle of the main hall is a statue of Genghis Khan, which is 5 meters high. He is wearing armor and a sword on his waist. He looks heroic and sits in the center of the hall. The curved background behind the statue is the territory map of the "Four Great Khanates", marking the remarkable achievements of Genghis Khan's army marching southward into the Central Plains and westward into Central Asia and Europe more than 700 years ago. There are murals in the corridors connecting the main hall to the east and west side halls. The west corridor depicts the major events in Genghis Khan's life, and the east corridor depicts the deeds of Genghis Khan's grandson Kublai Khan. The mural also shows the grand occasion when Kublai Khan, the grandson of Genghis Khan, unified my country and made Beijing the capital. In 1271, he officially changed the name of the country to Yuan and posthumously named Genghis Khan the Taizu of the Yuan Dynasty. The second half of the main hall is the apse, which is also the bedroom. Inside the bedroom are four spiritual bags covered with yellow satin, which contain the spiritual hubs of Genghis Khan and his three wives. In front of the spiritual bag is a large altar with incense burners, butter lamps, and precious cultural relics such as the saddle used by Genghis Khan during his lifetime. The coffins of Tolei, the fourth son of Genghis Khan, and his wife are placed in the east hall, and the nine flags and "Suleding" symbolizing the nine generals are enshrined in the west hall. Suledin is the iron spearhead on the ancient military flag. When Genghis Khan unified Mongolia, he used Suledin to command thousands of troops. Legend has it that after Genghis Khan passed away, his soul possessed Suledin.
In the southeast corner of Genghis Khan's mausoleum, there are facilities such as the golden-domed tent, the Khan Selection Platform, the grassland market, the cultural relics exhibition hall, the shooting range, the horse racing track, and the Mongolian wrestling field. Among them, the golden-domed tent is 13 meters high and 18 meters in diameter. It is a yurt-style palace. The Khan Selection Platform is 8 meters high and was built when herders elected Khan in history.
The Mongolian custom of paying homage to Genghis Khan first began in 1225. In 1260, Genghis Khan’s grandson Kublai Khan officially issued an imperial edict stipulating various sacrificial rituals to commemorate Genghis Khan’s ancestor, and the memorial etiquette was gradually improved. Sacrificial ceremonies are generally divided into weekday festivals, monthly festivals and seasonal festivals, all with fixed dates. Sacrifices include roasted whole sheep, holy wine and various dairy products, and a grand memorial ceremony is held.
The Spring Sacrifice is held on March 21st of the lunar calendar every year, and it is the largest and most solemn sacrificial event. During the Spring Festival, each alliance banner will send representatives or individuals to the Genghis Khan Mausoleum to offer sacrifices. During the sacrifice, herdsmen would wear Mongolian festival costumes and come to the cemetery from all directions to offer wine, fresh milk and hada to the statue of Genghis Khan.
The mausoleum of Genghis Khan has dense jungles, luxuriant grass, and the fragrance of birds and flowers. In the peaceful and harmonious grassland, the mausoleum of Genghis Khan has a unique style of interconnected yurt halls, marking the most powerful emperor in the history of the Chinese nation. The resting place of Genghis Khan.