Continuing southward out of Dongsheng, the capital of the Islamic League, the road is flanked by low sand dunes, the wind is very strong, and fine sand constantly drifts over the road, as if to greet pedestrians.
Soon, it entered the Ijin Horo Banner. Ijin Holo, which means "Tomb of the Holy Lord", because the tomb of Genghis Khan, the holy place in the hearts of the Mongols, is here.
The tomb is composed of three huge yurt-like buildings painted with blue and white patterns, and the outside is surrounded by red walls with yellow glazed tiles as ridges, which is solemn and solemn. The main hall is dedicated to a seated white marble statue of Genghis Khan, and behind him is a map of Europa that he drew with iron hooves and spears. The east hall houses the sulu ingots (spears) that are said to have been used by Genghis Khan with stallions and yak hair, and the west hall houses the spiritual bags of his son Torre and his wife. The apse enshrines three yellow satin-covered spirit bags, which are Genghis Khan, his wife and brother. The hall is painted with vivid murals that tell the glory of Genghis Khan's lifelong conquests and the customs of the Mongols.
Every year on the 17th day of the third lunar month, a grand memorial ceremony is held here, and we are fortunate to participate.
The Jumata (host) sacrifices Hada, butter lamps, and sheep's backs respectively, representing the longevity of the ancestors, the continuous incense of the clansmen, and the abundance of food and clothing for the descendants. Then the "Sulu Ingot Song" is sung, and then the sacrificial wine and lamb's back meat are put into the Bazista (big bronze cup), and the memorial people are invited to drink and eat, so as to bless everyone to get rid of diseases and disasters, and live a long and healthy life. The whole ceremony is solemn and mysterious.
The dinner was arranged in a large yurt. After drinking milk tea and eating steamed dumplings, the banquet began. The deputy director of the Chengling Management Office, who is also the old Mr. Huang, who is also the owner of this event, was specially invited. Huang Lao introduced us to the history of Chengling. When Genghis Khan attacked Western Xia, passing by here, he saw that the water and grass here were fertile, the deer were singing and the birds were crying, and he dropped the horsewhip to the ground in intoxication. He said that there are three barriers to the north of this place, Yin Mountain, the Yellow River and the Kubuqi Desert, the feng shui is excellent, it is the place of revival of the declining dynasty, the place where the peaceful and prosperous era has lived for a long time, and the resting place of the white-haired old man, I will be buried here after my death. Soon Genghis Khan died of illness, and due to the secret burial of the Mongols, no one knows where his body was buried, but in accordance with his wishes, a tomb was built here. Leave 500 Dalgot warriors to guard. These people have not been officials for generations, and have not served in the military or conscription until now. Huang Lao is a descendant of the 38th generation of Dalhuts. Listening to it, our reverence was suddenly born, and we frequently expressed our respect with toasts.
On this day, the wine was heartily drunk. On the way, we also learned a few Mongolian songs from Liu Guoqing, an officer of the Inner Mongolia Military Region, and we also sang "Ordos Toasting Song", "Ao Bao Rendezvous" and "Mongolian" in Mongolian. In this meal, I drank a full 19 bottles of Prairie White, as well as several bundles of beer.
Ordos, which means the land of many temples, is the birthplace of Mongolian culture, and it is also a place where Mongolian culture is relatively intact. We were very impressed. I remember watching a ** "Ordos Storm" when I was a child, and the first few sentences were "Snow dance, the wind is wild, and the grassland opens up a broken jade net". At that time, I really didn't expect that one day, I would be able to come here in person, which was really a kind of fate.
The Ikezhao League has since become my second hometown.