Mongolian people have all kinds of welcome etiquette since ancient times. The host always greets the guests from a distance, whether it is a social group or a private meeting. 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, the dwelling house on the prairie, because this is a Mongolian tradition from ancient times to the present. When you come here, you can't help but praise the host's residence. "This is really a good place. How beautiful the natural scenery of the grassland is!" Or you will use the Mongolian language "Sainu! Sanu (OK! Ok! ) express your feelings, say a word in Mongolian, and the owner here will be sincerely happy.
when the owner of the grassland welcomes you into the yurt, the guest and host sit on the left side of the yurt in sequence. Generally, very distinguished guests come, and the host will take the initiative to let you sit in the position of due north (the west side of the man sitting in the bag and the east side of the woman sitting in the bag). At this time, the housewife will put sweet milk food 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 held Hada in his hand, held a silver bowl and Qi Mei, and presented the wine to you. If the guest drinks it all at once, the host will be very happy, and suddenly the host and guest will be in harmony, and the atmosphere will soon be warm; 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 shows respect and intimacy to the host.
Hospitality:
The host here first pours freshly boiled milk tea for the guests, and puts on tea such as milk, cakes and fried rice to quench their hunger and thirst, and some even make some noodles, so that the guests can eat less and have a good wish? Then make a toast. Let the host use the wine first? A small handleless wine cup proposes a toast to each of the guests, which is the beginning of the toast. Then use a large 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 of cups, it is necessary to play music and sing for the guests to drink; After drinking, the highest etiquette for entertaining guests is the whole sheep banquet, followed by the sheep back banquet.
Magic yurts:
If the grassland is a green sea, yurts are little white sails in the sea. As a unique building on the grassland, yurts are beautiful and practical, and they are simple in structure and easy to disassemble and transport.
yurts have the characteristics of simple structure, easy demolition and assembly, local materials, self-production and self-use, etc., which are very suitable for nomadic life, and yurts fully reflect the intelligence of nomadic people. On the green grassland like the sea, the white sails dotted with Mongolian yurts will make people realize the harmony between man and nature! The yurt is in the shape of a canopy with a circular spire, which is wrapped 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. "Wuni pole" is an umbrella-shaped roof support supported by wooden sticks. There is also a "pottery brain"-skylight at the top of the yurt, which can both ventilate and light. The whole yurt is firmly fixed with several wool ropes to resist the wind.
Gorgeous national costumes:
Mongolian costumes include clothes, belts, boots and headdresses, etc., with exquisite styles and exquisite decoration. Mongolian robe is the main clothing of Mongolian people. Mongolian robe has a wide body, long sleeves, no slit at the lower end, a high collar and a middle belt, which is very suitable for the needs of cold protection and multi-purpose in nomadic life in the vast grassland. The belt is essential for Mongolian robes. It is generally made of silk, satin and other materials, and it is several meters long. The color depends on the color of the robe. When a man wears a belt, his robe is lifted up and his hem is tied short, which makes him look smart and natural, and it is also convenient for riding or working. Women, on the other hand, must stretch their robes when tying their waists to show their slim and fit figure. Wearing a Mongolian robe belt is not only necessary for clothing, but also of great practical value. It can keep the waist and ribs stable and vertical when riding, and keep warm in winter.
Blessing of Chagan Sari:
Mongolians call the first month Chagan Sari (Chinese means "Bai Yue"); The Spring Festival activities on the grassland mainly include offering sacrifices to fire, celebrating birthdays and paying New Year greetings, etc., and it starts from the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month and reaches its climax in the first month (Chagan Sa Day).
offering sacrifices to fire
Mongolians have long welcomed the Spring Festival with the custom of offering sacrifices to fire, because the flaming flame symbolizes all good luck in a year. Sacrificing fire was popular in the past, and the date and way of offering fire were different for each family. "Hari Chu Hu" (poor people) usually offer sacrifices to the fire on the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, while "Tai Ji" (noble people) offer sacrifices to the fire on the 24th of the twelfth lunar month. Some herders put five bundles of reeds tied with colorful silks in the trees outside the door, put the oak tree split into thin strips on the four legs above the flaming fire support, and the householder put on his dress and knelt on the mat at the main entrance, offering the sheep sternum wrapped in oil net to the flame. The women sprinkled wine and butter into the flame and stood in order and kowtowed. Wealthy herdsmen engage in large-scale fire sacrifices, using whole sheep during the sacrifices, and invite their neighbors to have tea and wine. 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, the traditional fire sacrifice is rarely held among the new generation of herders, but people still light a bonfire to add fun in grassland tourist spots and festive days.
Birthday
One of the main activities of herders during the Spring Festival. The birthday party is for the elderly who are just "this year". At the beginning of birthdays, people aged 85 or 73 will be celebrated first, usually on the 25th or 26th of the twelfth lunar month, and in the days from the 27th of the twelfth lunar month to New Year's Eve, people aged 61 or 49 will be celebrated this year. When celebrating the birthday of the elderly, the younger generation should not only salute and congratulate, but also present birthday gifts as a sign of respect. The weight of the birthday ceremony generally depends on the age of the birthday party.
On New Year's Eve
At the climax of the Spring Festival on the grassland, herders nearby will drink tea with each other, and then people will gather in the homes of the elderly to have a "New Year's Eve" (banquet) or get together with their families to watch TV programs. Then the herdsmen will invite each of their own families to visit. Sometimes, due to the large number of households, the banquet often stays up all night.
On New Year's Eve, every herdsman's family should put a "flower tray", that is, snacks, milk, sweets, etc. neatly placed in a big plate, most of which are cylindrical or square, one on each floor, which is very regular. This custom has been preserved not only in herdsmen's homes, but also in Mongolian families in cities.
New Year greetings
The most solemn activity of the Spring Festival on the grassland begins at dawn on the first day of the first month. Herdsmen first offer sacrifices to Aobao, and then begin to pay family greetings. First, the younger generation bows down to the elder, and then the elder wishes the younger generation happiness and longevity. When visiting the New Year, the younger generation should dress properly and hold Hada in their hands.
After the family visits the New Year, the herdsmen worship each other. When worshipping each other, first go to the elderly's home. As the worship goes on, people automatically go together. Every time you go to a house, you should enter in turn according to the age of your peers. When visiting the New Year, herders usually offer one or two eulogies or carols. For outstanding singers, the householder will hold up the milk tray with Hada. The Spring Festival on the grassland is rich in national characteristics, and it is a time for herdsmen to sing and laugh after a year of hard work.
Grassland religion:
Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region is also a minority region where many religions coexist. There are seven religions: Lamaism, Islam, Catholicism, Christianity, Orthodox Church, Chinese Buddhism and Taoism. Chinese Buddhism has a long history in our region, and other religions have been introduced since the 17th century.
Lamaism in Ximeng belongs to Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism, which has spread for more than 2 years. Before liberation, there were 192 Lamaism temples and 12,75 lamas in Ximeng, most of whom were located in Sumu, a pastoral area. In 196, there were 12 temples with 3,542 lamas, and in 1966, there were 92 temples with 2,29 lamas. During the 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 reaffirmed the policy of freedom of religious belief, lamas and religious believers of Lamaism in Ximeng gradually resumed their normal religious activities, and some temple countries also allocated maintenance funds to repair them. Some elderly and sick lamas received living allowances and their self-support undertakings developed.