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Genghis Khan Mausoleum

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The Mausuleum of Genghis Khan, located some 50 kilometers south of the city of Dongsheng, is situated in Ordos Prefecture on the northeastern edge of the Ordos Desert, not far from the border between Ordos Prefecture - and thus Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region - and Shaanxi Province.

The mausoleum, which was built in 1954 in honor of the memory of Genghis Khan, is in fact a cenotaph: its coffin contains no bodily remains, only replicas of personal effects (headdress and other personal accoutrements) believed to have belonged to the Mongol leader, since the actual site of the remains of Temüjin, aka Genghis Khan, remains a mystery to this day, and may very likely remain a mystery forever, for the last testament of Genghis Khan specifically stated that upon his death, the Mongol leader was to be buried "anonymously" - i.e., in an unpublicized site and without any grave markings - and it seems that his loyal followers followed Temujin's last wish to a tee, for nowhere was the site of Genghis Khan's grave recorded, either privately or publicly, nor was knowedge of the gravesite's whereabouts ever made public by word of mouth.

The Mausuleum of Genghis Khan was rebuilt in magnificent style in 1954 in keeping with Mongolian traditions, albeit with a Chinese slant, for Genghis Khan was after all considered a Chinese leader after his status (as well as the status of all the successive khans) was posthumously raised to that of emperor by his grandson, Kublai Khan, aka Emperor Shizu, who ruled China from CE 1260-1294 as the first emperor of the Yuan (CE 1279-1368) Dynasty. The mausoleum consists of three palatial yurts, each with smaller yurts erected inside.

The main, and central, palatial yurt houses a 5-meter-high statue of Genghis Khan. It also houses three bedchambers, each of which is in the form of a yurt covered with yellow damask. In the western-wing palatial yurt, weapons typically used by Genghis Khan and his Mongol horde are on display, while the eastern-wing palatial yurt houses the cenotaph dedicated to the Mongol leader. On the walls of the corridors that connect the two side palatial yurts to the main palatial yurt are numerous murals depicting the life and times of Genghis Khan.

A secondary function of the Mausuleum of Genghis Khan lies its exhibits, which commemorate the traditions of the Mongolian society of the period, where people would gather for the annual Spring Consecration, coinciding with the 21st of March in the Chinese lunar calendar. At this time each year, the various tribes would gather at a central place to make offerings, their leaders to discuss important matters of state with the khan. Afterward, there would be lively, crowd-pleasing activities such as horseback riding, wrestling and archery, or the "Three Manly Sports" of modern-day Mongolia's Naadam Festival (the festival is also celebrated in Inner Mongolia, though with less of a macho tinge). Genghis Khan felt that such competitions helped to keep his men fit, both mentally and physically.

The original palatial mausoleums honoring Genghis Khan (there were a number of them, just as there are three in the current location) were erected by Genghis Khan's appointed successor, Ögedei Khan, the third son of Genghis Khan. They were not meant as permanent, fixed structures, but rather, as portable mausoleums that could be moved from place to place, 'bringing the mountain to Muhammad', as it were. A very large team - over 500 - of attendants, called Darkhad, was assigned to the upkeep of the original portable mausoleums. All of the Darkhad were members of Genghis Khan's own clan, the Borjigin. The mausoleums were maintained faithfully by successive emperors, respecting the institution of the Darkhad, especially by the Manchu rulers of the Qing (CE 1644-1911) Dynasty, the last imperial dynasty to rule China.

Unfortunately, toward the end of the Qing Dynasty, revolts increasingly took place, there were foreign incursions - including Japanese incursions - and even humiliating concessions were exacted upon the country. During this unstable period the portable mausoleums of Genghis Khan suffered greatly. Later, during the Cultural Revolution, much of what had been restored was once again damaged or destroyed, such that most of what is on display in the present-day Mausuleum of Genghis Khan are replicas of forever lost, original artifacts.

Despite these many disappointments, the present-day Mausuleum of Genghis Khan is a fascinating site to visit, especially for those interested in all things Mongolian as well as those interested in all things Genghis Khan, since it offers insight into the life and times of the famed Mongol leader and his Mongol horde, from the lofty to the most mundane. The Mausuleum of Genghis Khan has been elevated to the protective status of a national cultural site.

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One can take the bus from Baotou to Ordos, then change to a local bus that directly services the Genghis Khan Mausoleum. This trip takes about 5 hours in all, and is a sightseeing trip in itself. An alternative option is to take a bus from Baotou in the direction of the city of Yulin, in Shaanxi Province. This bus makes a stop at Genghis Khan Mausoleum.

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