Mausoleum of Genghis Khan
成吉思汗陵 · Ejin Horo Banner, Ordos, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
The center of worship for Genghis Khan: a Mongolian-style domed main hall, the Sulde altar and the 4-km Sacred Way of Genghis Khan; listed as a national 5A scenic area in 2011.
Know before you go
- Making noise inside the mausoleum palace
- touching the ritual vessels
- taking photos where photography is prohibited
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Stories & people
Stories & people
History
The journeys of the Eight White Yurts
The "Eight White Yurts" used to worship Genghis Khan are a set of portable white tent shrines. After the fall of the Yuan dynasty they moved north with the Mongols, were gathered again in Ordos after the 15th century, and were moved to Ejin Horo in the early Qing dynasty. During the War of Resistance against Japan they were moved west to Xinglong Mountain in Gansu, later to Kumbum Monastery in Qinghai, and were brought back to Ejin Horo in 1954.
Source: Wikipedia: Mausoleum of Genghis Khan; Chinese Wikipedia: Mausoleum of Genghis Khan
History
The seven-layered coffin
When the mausoleum was completed in 1956, Genghis Khan's coffin was opened: it had seven layers, and the innermost held a leather pillow wrapped in a painting. What the pillow contains is still unknown, and scholars have offered various guesses.
Legend
The mystery of the grave
Genghis Khan is said to have asked his sons, shortly before his death, to conceal his burial site, and it has never been found. One account places the grave near Burkhan Khaldun, the sacred mountain in Mongolia's Khentii Mountains; the early-17th-century Mongolian chronicle Altan Tobchi says only his shirt, tent and boots were buried in Ordos. Both accounts stand side by side, and neither is settled.
Culture
Culture & customs
Background
The Mausoleum of Genghis Khan stands on the Gande'er Grassland in Ejin Horo Banner, Ordos, Inner Mongolia. It is commonly known in Mongolian as "Ejin Horo", meaning "the Lord's Enclosure", and the banner is named after it. From the entrance, the 4-km Sacred Way of Genghis Khan leads to the mausoleum palace, passing the Sulde altar and the Nadam Equestrian Center along the way; it was listed as a national 5A scenic area in 2011. Genghis Khan died in 1227 and, as he had instructed, was buried in secret without markers; his true burial place has never been found. The main hall here is a cenotaph, and its coffin holds no remains. The mausoleum palace is the center of worship for Genghis Khan and is guarded by the Darkhad, who have kept it for generations. The present buildings were completed in Mongolian traditional style in 1956, were badly damaged during the Cultural Revolution, and were restored with replicas in the 1980s; in 1982 the site was listed as a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level.
Local customs
- Visit the main hall and the sleeping palace of the mausoleum and see the murals depicting Genghis Khan's life and deeds and the displays on worship
- during the summer Naadam you can watch wrestling, horse racing and archery.
Etiquette & taboos
Etiquette & taboos
Don’t DON'T
- Making noise inside the mausoleum palace
- touching the ritual vessels
- taking photos where photography is prohibited
Locals appreciate DO
- Keep quiet in the worship area
- follow the guidance of the mausoleum keepers and staff
- check the on-site rules before taking photos
Plan your visit
Practical info
Travel tips
- The site is large, so allow half a day for a leisurely visit
- the grassland is windy, so bring a jacket
- it gets crowded in peak season, so try to avoid the busiest times.
- It takes about 1 hour by car from downtown Ordos
- if public transport is inconvenient, you can hire a car, and specific schedules are subject to official information. May to October, the grassland season, is the best time to visit, with more worship ceremonies and Naadam events in summer
- winter is cold and windy.
Photos
Photos
Popolon · CC BY-SA 4.0
Fanghong · CC BY-SA 3.0
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