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The Mongolian ethnic minority
 The Mongolians live mostly in the Inner Mongolia
Autonomous Region, with the rest residing in Liaoning, Jilin,
Heilongjiang, Xinjiang, Qinghai, Gansu, Ningxia, Hebei, Henan,
Sichuan, Yunnan and Beijing. Having their own spoken and written
language, which belongs to the Mongolian group of the Altaic language
family, the Mongolians use three dialects: Inner Mongolian,
Barag-Buryat and Uirad. The Mongolian script was created in the early
13th century on the basis of the script of Huihu or ancient Uygur,
which was revised and developed a century later into the form used to
this day.
The largest Mongolian area, the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region with
its capital at Hohhot, was founded on May 1, 1947, as the earliest
such establishment in China. This vast and rich expanse of land is
inhabited by 21,780,000 people, of whom about 2 million are Mongolians
and the rest Hans, Huis, Manchus, Daurs, Ewenkis, Oroqens and Koreans.
The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region is located in the northern part
of China. Covering 1.2 million square kilometers and rising 900 to
1,300 meters above sea level, it has vast tracts of excellent natural
pastureland with numerous herds of cattle, sheep, horses and camels.
The Yellow River Bend and Tumochuan plains, known as a "Granary North
of the Great Wall," are crisscrossed with streams and canals. Over
southwestern Inner Mongolia flows the Yellow River, which is, among
other things, famous for its carp and the well-developed irrigation
and transport facilities it has provided for the area. Inner Mongolia
also has several hundred richly endowed salt and alkali lakes and many
large freshwater lakes, including Hulun Nur, Buir Nur, Ulansu Nur, Dai
Hai and Huangqi Hai. More than 60 mineral resources such as coal,
iron, chromium, manganese, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tin,
mica, graphite, rock crystal and asbestos have been found. The Greater
Hinggan Mountain Range in the east part of the region boasts China's
largest forests, which are also a fine habitat for a good many rare
species of wildlife. This unique natural environment makes the region
a famous producer of precious hides, pilose antler, bear gallbladder,
musk, Chinese caterpillar fungus (Cordyceps sinensis), as well as 400
varieties of Chinese medicinal herbs, including licorice root,
"dangshen" (Codonopsis pilosula), Chinese ephedra (Ephedra sinica),
and the root of membranous milk vetch (Astragalus membranaceus).
Specialities of the region known far and wide are mushrooms and day
lily flowers, which enjoy brisk sales on both the domestic and world
markets.
Following the founding of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region,
autonomous prefectures and counties were established in other
provinces where Mongolians live in large communities. These include
the two Mongolian autonomous prefectures of Boertala and Bayinguoleng
in Xinjiang, the Mongolian and Kazak Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai,
and the seven autonomous counties in Xinjiang, Qinghai, Gansu,
Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning. Enjoying the same rights as all
other nationalities in China, the Mongolians are joining them in
running the country as its true masters.
Customs and
Habits
 Mongolians grow up on horsebacks and horses thus
play an important part in their life. Every Mongolian loves to prove
his worth by showing good horsemanship and archery as well as
wrestling.
"Nadam," meaning games in Mongolian, is the name of a traditional
Mongolian fair, which is held in July and August each year. At the
fair, people wearing their holiday best, participate in horse racing,
archery, singing, dancing, chess playing and wrestling.
The life of the Mongolians is unique. Those in the pastoral areas wear
fur coats lined with satin or cloth or nothing at all in winter and
loose, long-sleeved cotton robes in summer. Mongolian costume is
generally red, yellow or dark blue in color. A red or green waistband,
flint steel, snuffbox and knife in an ornate sheath for cutting meat
are accessories common
 to all men and women. Knee-high felt boots are
a type of common footwear. Mongolians, men and women, wear cone-shaped
hats in winter; they also like to wear silk or cloth turbans. Girls
wear their hair parted in the middle, embellished with two large beads
and agate, coral and green jade ornaments. |
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