Since ancient times, Mongolians have had various welcome etiquette. Whether it is a social group or a private meeting, the host always greets the guests from a distance. Some people will wait by the roadside, some will come at a gallop on horseback, some will come on motorcycles and cross-country jeeps, and they will be greeted by several echelons on grand occasions.
If you travel to the prairie, you will definitely visit Mongolian yurts and folk houses on the prairie, because this is a tradition of Mongolian people from ancient times to the present. When you come here, you can't help praising the host's residence. "This is really a good place. How beautiful the natural scenery of the grassland is! " Otherwise, you will use Mongolian "Sainu! Sanu (ok! All right! Express your feelings and say a word in Mongolian, and the host here will be sincerely happy.
When the grassland owner welcomes you into the yurt, the host and guest sit on the left side of the yurt in turn. Generally, the guests are very distinguished, and the host will take the initiative to let you sit in the position due north (the west side of the bag for men and the east side of the bag for women). At this time, the housewife will put sweet milk and braised pork in front of the guests, and then serve a bowl of hot and fragrant milk tea for the guests to taste. Then, with greetings and laughter, we began to propose a toast. The host has Hada in his hand, a silver bowl and Qi Mei in his hand, and gives you wine. If the guest drinks it all at once, the host will be very happy, and the host and guest will be in harmony immediately, and the atmosphere will soon warm up; If you are not good at drinking, you can take a silver bowl. But it is best to drink the wine in the bowl, which is respect and intimacy for the host.
Hospitality:
The host here first poured the freshly cooked milk tea for the guests, put on tea such as milk food, cakes and fried rice to quench their thirst, and some even made some noodles to make the guests eat less so as to have a wish? Then make a toast. The host will propose a toast to each guest first, which is the beginning of the toast. Then use a big cup (a silver vessel smaller than a silver bowl) to toast from the elderly among the guests, one by one; When a toast reaches a certain number, it is necessary to put music and sing for the guests to drink; The highest etiquette for entertaining guests after drinking is the all-sheep banquet, followed by the sheep back banquet.
The magic yurt:
If the grassland is a green ocean, the yurt is a small white sail in the sea. As a unique building on the grassland, yurts are beautiful and practical, with simple structure and convenient disassembly and transportation.
Mongolian yurts have the characteristics of simple structure, convenient disassembly, local materials and self-production, which are very suitable for nomadic life. Mongolian yurts fully embody the intelligence of nomadic people. On the green grassland like the sea, white sails dotted with yurts will make people realize the harmony between man and nature! The yurt is a canopy with a round spire, covered with one or two layers of wool felt, and supported by "Hana" and "Wuni pole" inside. "Hana" is dozens of polished wooden sticks with the same thickness, which are connected by cowhide ropes to form a retractable mesh bracket. "Black mud pole" is an umbrella-shaped roof support supported by wooden sticks. There is also a "pottery brain" on the top of the yurt-skylight, which can both ventilate and light. The whole yurt is firmly fixed with several wool ropes to resist the strong wind.
Gorgeous national costumes:
Mongolian costumes, including clothes, belts, boots and headdresses, are exquisite in style and beautifully decorated. Mongolian robe is the main clothing of Mongolian people. Mongolian robe has a wide body, long sleeves, no slit at the lower end, high collar and middle belt, which is very suitable for the needs of keeping out the cold in the nomadic life of the vast grassland. The belt is essential for a Mongolian robe. Generally made of silk, satin and other materials, up to several meters long. The color depends on the color of the robe. When a man wears a belt, the robe is lifted up and the hem is tied short, which is smart and natural, and it is also convenient for riding or working. On the other hand, women must stretch their robes when girding their waists to show their slim and healthy figure. Wearing a Mongolian robe belt is not only necessary for clothing, but also of great practical value. You can keep your waist and ribs stable and vertical when riding, and keep warm in winter.
Chagan Sally's blessing:
Mongolians call the first month "Chagansari" (Chinese means "Bai Yue"); Spring Festival activities on the grassland mainly include sacrifice, birthday celebration and New Year greetings. From the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month to the first month (Chagan Sari), it reached its climax.
Sacrificial fire
The Mongolian people have long welcomed the Spring Festival with the custom of burning fire and offering sacrifices, because the blazing flame symbolizes all the good luck in a year. In the past, it was popular to sacrifice fire, and the date and way of offering fire were different from family to family. "Hari Chuhu" (the poor) usually sacrifices to Vulcan on the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, while "Tai Ji" (the noble) sacrifices to Vulcan on the 24th of the twelfth lunar month. Some herdsmen put five reeds tied with colorful silk on the trees outside the door, put the split oak trees on the four legs above the flaming fire support, put on their dresses and knelt on the mat at the main entrance, offering the sheep sternum wrapped in oil nets to the flame. The women sprinkled wine and butter on the flame, and then stood and kowtowed in sequence. Wealthy herdsmen engage in large-scale fire sacrifices, use whole sheep when offering sacrifices, and invite neighbors to drink tea. Some people don't put out the flame for three days after lighting it, and they are not allowed to move the venue or roast their feet on the flame for three days. At present, traditional fire sacrifices are rarely held among the new generation of herders, but people still light bonfires in grassland tourist spots and festivals to add fun.
Congratulate (the old man) on his birthday.
One of the main contents of herdsmen's Spring Festival activities. The birthday party is for the old people who just "this year". At the beginning of birthdays, people who are 85 or 73 years old will be celebrated first, usually on the 25th or 26th of the twelfth lunar month, and from the 27th of the twelfth lunar month to New Year's Eve. This year, people will celebrate 6 1 and 49. When celebrating the birthday of the elderly, the younger generation should not only salute and congratulate, but also give birthday gifts to show respect. The severity of the birthday ceremony generally depends on the age of the birthday party.
New Year's Eve
On the grassland, at the peak of the Spring Festival, nearby herders will drink tea with each other, and then people will gather at the old people's home for a "birthday party" or get together with their families to watch TV programs on New Year's Eve. Then the herdsmen will invite their own families to visit. Sometimes, due to the large number of households, banquets often stay up all night.
On New Year's Eve, every herder's home should put a "flower tray", that is, snacks, milk, candy and so on. They are neatly placed in a big plate, and most of them are cylindrical or square, one on each floor, which is very regular. This custom remains not only in herdsmen's homes, but also in Mongolian families in cities.
Pay new year's call
The most solemn Spring Festival activity on the grassland began at the dawn of the first day of the first month. Herdsmen worship Aobao first, and then begin to pay New Year greetings within their families. First, the younger generation bows to the elder, and then the elder wishes the younger generation happiness and longevity. When visiting the New Year, the younger generation should dress appropriately and hold Hada in their hands.
After the family pays New Year's greetings, the herdsmen pay New Year's greetings to each other. When you say goodbye, go to the old man first. With the progress of worship, people come together automatically. Every time you go to a house, you should enter it in turn according to the age of people of the same age. When visiting the New Year, herders usually offer one or two carols or carols. For excellent singers, the householder will hold up the milk tray with Hada. The Spring Festival on the grassland is full of national characteristics, and it is a time for herders to sing and laugh after a hard year.
Grassland religion:
Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region is also a minority area where many religions coexist. There are seven major religions: Lamaism, Islam, Catholicism, Christianity, Orthodox Church, China Buddhism and Taoism. China Buddhism has a long history in our region, and other religions were introduced from17th century.
Lamaism in Ximeng belongs to the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism, which has been circulating for more than 200 years. Before liberation, there were 92 Lamaism temples12,750 lamas/kloc-0, mostly distributed in Sumu, a pastoral area. In 1960, the number of temples decreased to 102 with 3,542 lamas, and in 1966, the number of temples decreased to 92 with 2,290 lamas. After ten years of civil strife, the party's policy of religious freedom was destroyed and the Lama was greatly impacted. Most temples were destroyed and scriptures were burned. The temple stopped its activities, which had serious consequences. After the downfall of the Gang of Four, especially since the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the government has reiterated its policy of freedom of religious belief, lamas in Ximeng and believers in Lamaism have gradually resumed normal religious activities, and some temple countries have also allocated maintenance funds for repairs. Some elderly and frail lamas have received living allowances, and their self-reliance has been developed.