What does "Ordos" mean in Mongolian language?
Ordos is famous in China because of the term "ghost town". Many people think that "ghost town" comes from the economic bubble there, but in fact it comes from a report in the American "Times" many years ago. "Ordos, China: A Modern Ghost Town", due to the media's influence and various reprints, "ghost town" seems to have suddenly become synonymous with Ordos. But in fact, what the American reporter saw at that time was when the Kangbashi New District in Ordos was under construction.
But what I want to talk about today is not whether Ordos is a ghost or not, but the origin of the city’s name. The name of each city is like the name of a person, it has its own meaning and significance. Ordos is Mongolian, meaning "numerous palaces". But what makes the young lady strange is that although Ordos is indeed a very beautiful city, and all the buildings are magnificent, they have nothing to do with palaces. It wasn’t until I went to the Genghis Khan Mausoleum in Ordos this time and listened to the Mongolian explanations that I understood its meaning.
When it comes to the Mongols and the Yuan Dynasty, the first thing that comes to mind must be Genghis Khan. This man who opened up the territory of the largest imperial dynasty in China and even the history of the world made Europeans at that time frightened. Legend has it that more than 700 years ago, when Genghis Khan led his army to conquer Xixia, he passed by a plateau with fertile water and grass. He was deeply attracted by the scenery and thought it was a geomantic treasure. He was very happy. When he was nostalgic, he accidentally dropped his riding whip on the ground. When his subordinates were about to pick up the riding whip, Genghis Khan stopped him. He said to himself: "This is the home of sika deer and the home of hoopoe birds." , a place where declining dynasties are revitalized, a place where white-haired old men enjoy themselves.” This means that he will be buried here after his death.
After Genghis Khan died, he was buried secretly according to Mongolian customs. The so-called secret burial means a secret burial. There are no tombs, no tombstones, and no records or traces. Therefore, the place where Genghis Khan was buried has not been found, and Temujin is not buried in the Genghis Khan Mausoleum today.
However, most Mongolians during the Genghis Khan period believed in primitive shamanism. Shamanism believed that everything in the world has a soul and that the soul is immortal after death. Therefore, in order to enshrine the soul of Genghis Khan, the Mongolian Kingdom built eight white felt tents in the style of the palace tent where Genghis Khan lived during his lifetime, in which the relics and sacrificial relics of Genghis Khan and his core relatives were enshrined.
At first glance, these eight white palaces look like eight white yurts, but their bases are square instead of round. The Mongolians regard them as palaces. For a people who "live on water and grass" and have to move frequently, their home is a yurt. During Genghis Khan's campaign, the palace was also a large yurt built on a lele cart. Therefore, the palaces of the Mongols are not like the palaces that we Han people are familiar with. In Mongolian, the pronunciation of palace is "Ordo", and "Si" means plural, that is, "many". This is very similar to adding an "s" after the plural noun in English, so "Ordos" means "many palaces" " means, referring to the eight white houses.
According to Genghis Khan’s wishes during his lifetime, people placed the Eighth Palace in that area of fertile water and grass, and this place was named "Ordos" from this. Today, the eight white palaces are placed in the Mausoleum of Genghis Khan, guarded day and night by the Dalhut people, who were once Genghis Khan's pro-army. They do this year after year, day after day, from generation to generation, without interruption, because they are also known as Genghis Khan's guardians.