From: Oyunbilig@aol.com (by way of trinley@churchward.com (Jack Churchward))
Subject: Southern Mongolian News
1) Mausoleum tells Khan's glory
2) Inner Mongolian coal mine stands ready to open
3) Autonomous regions help national unification
4) Vice-Premier Zou Jiahua arrives in Inner Mongolia
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1) Mausoleum tells Khan's glory
MY first sight of Genghis Khan's Mausoleum aroused a feeling of profound respect.
The mausoleum was so solemn and awe-inspiring that it seemed the glory of the Mongols' great hero still shines.
Genghis Khan, born in 1162 and died in 1227, united the various Mongolian tribes in 1206 and later his son set up a powerful empire, known in Chinese history as the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368).
The mausoleum is located in Ejin Horo Banner, the central part of the Erdos Grassland, of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. In Mongolian, Ejin Horo means the palace of the king, and Erdos means many palaces.
According to Mongolian legend, Genghis Khan chose Erdos as his burial site.
When Khan led his army through Erdos Grassland, he was enraptured by the fertile land, causing him to accidentally drop his horsewhip. He told his attendants not to pick it up and recited a poem: "(It is) a place for deer to rest, a home for birds to raise their young, a site for weakened dynasties to revive their fortunes, a paradise for white-haired old men to enjoy themselves."
Genghis Khan told his attendants: "This place is where I should be buried after my death." His servants did his bidding.
Khan's mausoleum covers an area of more than 50,000 square metres and consists of three domed palaces, linked together and facing south. They are set off by green pines.
After climbing 99 steps from the front plaza, we reached the gate of the mausoleum. Nine is an auspicious number for the Mongols.
The mausoleum is a large mound of green grassland. The three palaces are located on its west side.
To the southeast, there is a big stone pile, a memorial to Khan. Thirteen small stone piles are behind the big one. Unlike Western superstition, 13 is an auspicious number for the Mongols, according to our tour guide.
A tall stone memorial is housed in a beautiful pavilion, standing on the southwest of the mausoleum. It records Khan's life story.
The sacrificial altar for Khan's sacred black spear lies on the northwest of the mausoleum.
A legend is attached to the spear: After Khan had been defeated in a battle, his situation looked hopeless. He lifted his saddle, kneeled, kowtowed to heaven and cried out in a loud voice: "God of the Heavens, please hurry to save your child quickly!"
Suddenly, with a deafening thunderbolt, a sacred black spear dropped into a big tree from on high.
Khan then emerged victorious in every battle.
We left the altar and went into the middle palace.
A giant statue of Khan stands in the centre of the main hall. There is a large map of Eurasia on the wall behind it, recording Khan's many conquests.
The chamber hall behind the main hall contains three large yurts and two small yurts, stained in yellow. Biers of Khan, his three wives and two brothers are consecrated in separate yurts.
Butter lamps are lit permanently in front of the yurts.
The yurt in the east palace is consecrated to Khan's youngest son and his wife.
But the yurts are only tombs containing personal effects of Khan and his relatives. The whereabouts of their remains are still unknown.
The guide explained this is partly because the Mongols believe one's spirit exists with his bodily remains.
Another reason, he said, is the tombs of Mongolian leaders were chosen so secretly almost no one is able to find them.
In order to look for Khan's real tomb, Japanese and Mongolian experts used advanced instruments to search for several years around Mongolia's Kent Mountain. So far, however, nothing has been found.
In the west palace, Khan's spear, banner, sword, saddle and other articles are enshrined and worshipped.
In the corridor connecting the three palaces, there are two series of large frescoes depicting important events in Khan's life and the flourishing of all areas of industry, agriculture, business and travel in the Yuan Dynasty.
The guide said Khan's mausoleum is guarded by a special Mongolian tribe, the Dalhut.
The Dalhut are descendants of eight outstanding commanders who served Khan during his expedition to conquer Central Asia and part of what is today's Middle East. After the death of Khan, 500 households were specifically chosen from the tribe to defend the mausoleum and hold memorial ceremonies.
The males in each of the 500 households devoted their lives to guarding the tomb and holding memorial services for Khan without holding any official position or paying any corvee, said the guide, who is also a Dalhut.
He said the honoured position can be passed from generation to generation. In Mongolian, the name Dalhut means "free from corvee".
The large memorial ceremonies are held four times a year in Khan's mausoleum.
Each time, the middle palace's vermilion gate opens slowly, then the crowd gathers before the statue of this legendary figure. They dedicate sacrificial offerings to the statue while the Dalhut people solemnly recite the words of sacrifice.
The guide said details of the classic ceremonies and elegies are strictly confined to insiders.
Khan's mausoleum has been listed by the State Council among the key cultural relics of nationwide historical significance, worthy of State protection. Its special, historical value attracts more than 120,000 visitors every year.
The Chinese Government has invested more than 3 million yuan ($361,000) to renovate the mausoleum, the guide said, adding the repair project was completed last month.
Date: 07/12/97
2) Inner Mongolian coal mine stands ready to open
JUNGAR, INNER MONGOLIA (Xinhua) -- A giant coal producer is ready to go into operation in October in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
With the completion of an electrified railway line early this month, the first phase of the Jungar Coal Mine, near this small town in central Inner Mongolia, is ready to produce 12 million tons of low-sulphur coal each year.
A coal-washing plant that can dress and wash 12 million tons of coal annually will become operational simultaneously with the open-cut coal mine.
A thermal power station with an installed capacity of 200,000 kilowatts has already been put into use.
This is China's largest coal-electricity complex. It is composed of 30 major facilities for coal production, dressing, transportation and power generating, according to Song Hanfeng, general manager of the Jungar Coal Industry Corp.
Covering 1,365 square kilometres, the Jungar Coal Mine is estimated to have some 26 billion tons of coal reserves.
Lu Lian, chief engineer of the Jungar Coal Industry Corp, said the mine can provide coal for the next 115 years if it produces 60 million tons of coal each year, a target the company plans to reach by the year 2010.
Since the Jungar mine was made a key project of the coal industry ten years ago, construction of the first phase has been completed, at a cost of more than 10 billion yuan ($1.2 billion) in government investment and overseas loans.
"It is the most expensive project in the history of China's coal industry," said Zhang Shengli, an official in charge of capital construction at the Ministry of Coal Industry.
The 264-kilometre electric railway line linking Jungar with Datong City in north Shanxi Province can carry coal from Jungar to Qinhuangdao Port, China's largest coal terminal, via the Datong-Qinhuangdao Railway.
"The simultaneous development of the coal mine, thermal power station and railway at Jungar has set up a new model for China's large coal mines," Zhang said.
The coal-electricity-railway complex can make optimum use of resources and greatly reduce the waste of coal, since good-quality coal can find markets while low-grade coal is burned to generate electricity.
In addition, transmitting electricity generated by coal at Jungar to industrial bases and big cities that are thirsty for energy is not only more profitable, but also beneficial for the environment, Song said.
The company is planning to expand its installed capacity to 800,000 kilowatts in the future, and the construction of new coal mines and thermal power stations will be conducted at the same time, he said.
"The coal-electricity model points the way for the future development of China's big coal mines," Zhang pointed out.
Date: 07/14/97
3) Autonomous regions help national unification
A HIGH-ranking Communist Party official in Beijing yesterday hailed the establishment of autonomous regions as a great success for China.
The setting up of such regions guarantees that China's 55 ethnic groups can enjoy autonomy in their homeland, said Wang Zhaoguo, head of the United Front Work Department of the Central Committee of Communist Party of China.
The system is conducive to national unification and the unity of the Chinese nation, said Wang.
He made the remark at a forum celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region.
In recent years, ethnic unrest and religious disputes have caused serious problems in some countries. Often, the problems are elevated to armed conflict and regional war.
"One important reason why China can maintain national unity and keep social and political stability is that the Party drafted and implemented the policy of autonomous regions for ethnic people," said Wang.
China set up the first autonomous region in Inner Mongolia in 1947. So far, the country has five autonomous regions, 30 autonomous prefectures and 121 autonomous counties.
Wang warned that some international hostile forces were using ethnic and religious issues to try to cause unrest and riots in China.
"We must firmly oppose and crack down on national separatism and criminal activities," he said.
Buhe, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, told the forum that the experience of the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region has proved that to maintain the well-being of autonomous regions, China must focus on economic development, and at the same time, safeguard and strengthen the unity of each ethnic group.
Date: 07/16/97
4) Vice-Premier Zou Jiahua arrives in Inner Mongolia
[Xinhua News Agency July 19,1997] Vice-Premier Zou Jiahua arrives in Inner Mongolia for the start of celebrations marking the autonomous region's 50th anniversary. The South China Morning Post (Hong Kong)
