Customs and taboos
(1) Etiquette exchanges
Hata presentation: Hada is an indispensable item in the daily rituals of the Mongolian people. Offering hada is a etiquette used by Mongolian herdsmen to greet guests and in daily interactions. When offering a hada, the host holds the hada with open hands, chants auspicious wishes or praises, exaggerates the atmosphere of respect, and at the same time points the folded opening of the hada towards the guests receiving the hada. Guests should stand up and face the hada presenter, and concentrate on listening to the toast and accepting the toast. When receiving the hada, the guest should bow slightly forward, and the person presenting the hada should hang the hada around the guest's neck. Guests should put their hands together in front of their chests to express their gratitude to the person who presented the hada.
Serving tea: When visiting a herdsman's house or at a tourist spot, the host or the waitress will first serve the guest a bowl of milk tea. Guests should stand up slightly and use both hands or right hands to pick up the dishes. Never use your left hand to pick up the dishes, otherwise it will be considered as not being etiquette. When the host or waitress is pouring tea, if the guest does not want tea, please gently touch the spoon or spout with the edge of the bowl, and the host will immediately understand the guest's intention. Offering tea to guests is a noble traditional Mongolian etiquette. In the history of Mongolia, tea was always used as a social treat, whether in a wealthy family or a poor family, in the upper class or among the common people, in social interactions or at home, on journeys, or on all other occasions. When guests come to your home, tea is an essential treat. Therefore, when herdsmen entertain guests, they usually offer a bowl of milk tea to the distinguished guests first, and then the host brings fried rice and large bowls of butter, milk tofu, naipizi and other dairy products.
Toast: Pour wine to toast guests, which is the traditional way of Mongolian hospitality. They believe that fine wine is the essence of food and the crystallization of grains. They offer the most precious food to express the respect and love of the grassland shepherds to their guests. Usually the host pours the wine into a silver bowl, gold cup or horn cup, puts it on a long hada, and sings a touching Mongolian traditional toast song. If the guest refuses to drink, he will be considered to be disrespectful to the host. Look down on him and don't want to treat him sincerely. Guests should immediately catch the wine, dip their ring fingers in the wine and tap it in the direction of heaven, earth and the stove to show their respect to the gods of heaven, earth and fire. Don't force yourself if you don't know how to drink, but you can touch your lips as a sign of acceptance of the host's pure friendship. Then the housewives in ethnic costumes served fragrant milk wine to entertain the guests, which is also a traditional Mongolian etiquette. The host will use poetic language to persuade you to drink: "Guests from afar, please drink a glass of prairie wine. This is the essence of our nation's traditional food and the deep affection of our prairie people."
Respecting gods: Mongolian people have the custom of worshiping gods at their banquets. According to the "Mongolian Customs", the chef cuts the sheep into nine equal pieces of meat, "The first piece is offered to heaven, the second to earth, the third to Buddha, the fourth to ghosts, and the fifth to human beings." The sixth piece is dedicated to the mountain, the seventh piece is dedicated to the tomb, the eighth piece is dedicated to the land and water gods, and the ninth piece is dedicated to the emperor." To offer sacrifices to the sky, throw the meat on top of the yurt; to offer sacrifices to the ground, throw the meat into the fire; to offer sacrifices to Buddha, place it in front of the shrine; to offer sacrifices to ghosts, place it outside the bag; to offer sacrifices to mountains, hang it on the sacred tree branch, and to offer sacrifices to the tomb. Ancestors of this nation. Place it outside the bag, sacrifice it to the water god and throw it into the river. Finally, sacrifice it to Genghis Khan and place it in front of the shrine. This custom can be traced back to ancient shamanism, which worshiped a variety of gods. Later, Lamaism, believed by the Mongolian people, absorbed their ancient folk beliefs and incorporated many gods into the trajectory of Lamaism.
Hospitality: The Mongolian people have been known for their straightforward temperament and hospitality since ancient times. He is full of enthusiasm for those who come to his home, whether he is a regular or a stranger. First, the fragrant milk tea was presented, and plates of white milk rind and cheese were brought out. After drinking milk tea, the host will serve mellow milk wine, and in midsummer, guests will also be treated to kumiss. In some areas, there are certain rules for grilling meat with hands to entertain guests. For example, a pipa bone is served with four long ribs; for beef, one spine is served with half a rib and a section of sausage. Before a girl gets married or when she returns to her parents' home after getting married, she is treated with lamb breast meat. The lamb's calf bones, chin, and neck meat are all given to the younger generations and children. When receiving distinguished guests or on festive days, a whole sheep feast is served.
Respect the old and love the young: Mongolians have an orderly approach, respecting the old and loving the young. When visiting a herdsman's house in a ger, greet the elderly when you see them. Do not pass in front of the elderly, do not sit on top of them, and do not sit side by side with the elderly without permission. When addressing the elderly, you should address them as "you". Do not address them with "you" or call them by their first names. When you see herdsmen's children, don't scold them loudly, let alone hit them. Do not talk about your child's physical defects in front of family members. Being kind and affectionate to children is considered a sign of respect for parents.
Singing: The Mongolian people’s persuasion to drink is often expressed through sincere singing. Singing and persuasion to drink are performed at the same time. Often one person sings the lead, then everyone raises their glasses and sings a chorus, and then everyone toasts together, and so on several times. The wine is in full swing. There are ceremonial singing, impromptu singing, singing by one or several people, and chorus singing. The singing is often full of joy and lasts all night long. Hospitality: The Mongolian nation has the traditional virtue of hospitality, which has been passed down from ancient times to the present.
Choose hunting dogs: The Mongolian people have the custom of hunting with hunting dogs. Therefore, they attach great importance to choosing and keeping a good hunting dog - "Tiger", which is a castrated short-haired dog. When selecting hunting dogs, we should pay attention to good breeds, that is, select puppies from well-bred puppies with long waists, long and well-proportioned tails, sensitive hearing, sharp vision, agile movements, and fast running dogs as hunting dogs.
Greetings: The Mongolian people are a warm and hospitable nation. They should greet each other when meeting, even strangers; when meeting peers or acquaintances, they generally ask: "Saibanu". If you meet an elder, Or if you are meeting someone for the first time, you should ask: "Tasaibainu". Hospitality to passers-by is a traditional virtue of the Mongolian people, but when visiting a Mongolian home, one must respect the host. After entering the yurt, you have to sit cross-legged on the carpet around the stove. However, the owner's residence is to the west of the stove. You are not allowed to sit casually when the owner is not sitting. The guests usually want to drink the milk tea offered by the host, and it would be rude not to drink it. If the host invites you to eat dairy products, the guests should not refuse, otherwise it will hurt the host's heart. If it is inconvenient to eat more, just eat a little.
(2) Mongolian naming customs
The characteristics of men’s naming are:
1. Naming according to national psychological habits, such as: Timur, Ge Si'er, Bater, etc.;
2. Name according to the expectations of the elders, such as: Jiya Saiyin (good luck), Bayar (joy), Baiyin (rich), Jirigele (happiness) ), etc.;
3. Name the baby according to the age of the elders when the baby was born, such as: Binta (fifty), Jirentai (sixty), Daleng (seventy), etc.;
4. Name them after brave animals, such as: Shaobu (bird), Bala (tiger), China (wolf), Abersilang (lion), Bu Rigude (eagle), etc.;
5. Name things according to the names of natural things, such as: Chaolu (stone), Agula (mountain), Muren (river), Tara (field), etc.;
Women The characteristics of naming are:
1. Named after bright stars, such as: Naren (sun), Saren (moon), Aoden (stars), Naren Gaowa (beautiful as the sun) , Sarengaowa (as beautiful as the moon), etc.;
2. Named after beautiful flowers, plants and trees, such as: Sarilanghua (Mountain Flower), Qiqige (Flower), Nabu Qi (leaves), crabapple, etc.;
3. Named after jewelry and jade, such as: Haas (jade), Tana (pearl), Alatangaowa (beautiful as gold), etc.;
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4. Named after ideals, such as: Siqin (intelligent), Wuyun (wisdom), Gaowa (beautiful), Siqin Gaowa (beautiful and intelligent), etc.
According to this method, Mongolian women’s names can be divided into many kinds. The biggest feature of modern Mongolian names is that they do not have a name prefix, so it is just a name and should not be understood as a name. There are very few names with a surname prefix, and that is just an isolated phenomenon.
Mongolians should avoid riding fast when approaching yurts on horseback or driving, so as not to disturb the herds; if there is a fire or a red cloth hanging in front of the door, it means that there is a patient or a pregnant woman in the house. Outsiders are not allowed to enter; guests are not allowed to sit on the Western Kang, because the west is the direction where the Buddha is worshipped; meat from dead animals, donkey meat, dog meat, and white horse meat are taboo; red and white are taboo when doing funerals, and black and yellow are taboo when doing happy events; Bake feet, shoes, socks, pants, etc. on the brazier; it is prohibited to smoke, spit, touch ritual objects, classics, Buddha statues, and make loud noises when visiting temple sutra halls and altars. Hunting near the temple is also prohibited.
Fire taboo: Mongolian people worship fire, fire god and kitchen god, and believe that fire, fire god or kitchen god are holy objects that can ward off evil spirits. Therefore, after entering the yurt, it is forbidden to bake your feet on the stove, let alone dry your boots and shoes next to the stove. You are not allowed to cross the stove or step on the stove. You are not allowed to knock tobacco bags, throw things or throw dirt on the stove. Do not use a knife to stir fire, insert a knife into the fire, or use a knife to take meat from the pot
Water taboo: Mongolians believe that water is a pure god. It is taboo to wash hands or bathe in the river, let alone wash women's dirty clothes, or throw unclean things into the river.
The grassland is dry and lacks water, so grasses are grazing on water. Without water, it is impossible to survive. Therefore, herdsmen are accustomed to saving water, paying attention to keeping the water clean, and regard water as the source of life.
(3) Wedding Customs
Hata Offering When Mongolian young men and women get married, they must choose an auspicious day, and the man must send a betrothal gift to the woman’s family. Betrothal gifts include cash, clothes, cloth, jewelry, rice, etc. The bride's family's dowry items include cabinets, bedding, clothes, jewelry, electrical appliances, bicycles, rice, melon seeds, etc. The key is given to a relative of the bride's family for safekeeping. When the bride arrives at the groom's house, the groom's mother uses money to redeem the key and then gives it to the bride. The day before the wedding, the man will send pork and wine with red paper to the woman's house, both as a gift and for the woman's family to entertain guests.
On the day of the wedding, the groom, accompanied by his groomsmen, comes to the bride’s house to welcome the bride. At the same time, he has to pick some vegetables to send to the bride’s house. According to custom, the groom cannot speak during the wedding ceremony, and the groomsmen socialize and deal with everything until the bride is brought home. After arriving at the bride's house, the groom was arranged to have a meal alone and could not do anything. The groom could only pick up vegetables and feed the groom to eat. When the men come to pick up and carry the dowry out the door, the groom can welcome the bride and go out.
The bride wears her hair like a young woman and wears brand-new clothes from top to bottom, inside and out. The clothing is green and black, and the lace patterns on the skirts and the high collars of the tops are similar to those of the Mongolian people in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. A small pendant worn by the bride is kept by a child in the bride-to-be team. The bride is carried into the sedan by her uncle and escorted to the groom's house by the bride's younger brother. The bride will cry after getting on the sedan chair, indicating that she cannot bear to leave home, and will cry all the way until she enters the bridal chamber.
Before entering the groom’s house, the bride must burn wedding paper. After entering the gate, she must persuade the bride to stop crying. After entering the bridal chamber, she must remove the bride’s red scarf and offer it to the main room. During the meal, the bride is allowed to eat alone in the bridal chamber, and the groom feeds the bride. That night, the girl and the boy came to celebrate, and the house was full of laughter and singing.
The next day, the newlyweds will go to the bride's house and worship the heaven, earth and ancestors at the same time. The parents-in-law will also give the groom a silver bracelet. On the way back to the groom's house from the woman's house, the newlyweds must bow to anyone they meet. After returning to the groom's house, they also worship heaven, earth and ancestors.
On the third day, I went to visit the ancestral graves. The newlyweds, accompanied by the girl and the boy, carry pig heads and other offerings and food to visit the ancestral graves of both men and women. After returning, the bride lights a fire and the groom carries water to boil the feet of the elders and companions. The wedding ends here.
Within 7 days after the wedding, the bride cannot return to her parents’ home or stay elsewhere. Historically, the Mongolian people had a custom that a man could marry another man, but his original wife could not remarry. Now the situation has undergone fundamental changes. Marriage is voluntary and freedom of divorce has become a new trend. However, the divorce rate among Mongolians is very low. [Edit this paragraph] 4. Religion: Shamanism is the ancient primitive religion of the Mongolian people. Shamanism worships a variety of nature spirits and ancestral spirits. Genghis Khan believed in shamanism and worshiped the "Heaven of Immortality". Until the Yuan Dynasty, shamanism dominated Mongolian society and still had an important influence among the Mongolian royal family, princes, nobles and people. When the royal family worships ancestors, worships the ancestral temple, or when the emperor comes to visit the capital, shamanism presides over the sacrifices. Genghis Khan and his successors adopted an inclusive policy towards various religions. Popular religions include Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Christianity, Shamanism, etc. During the period of Mengge Khan, in addition to believing in shamanism, Mengge Khan and the royal family also supported Muslims, Christians, Taoist disciples and Buddhist monks, and personally participated in various religious ceremonies. The same policy was adopted during the Yuan Dynasty. During the Yuan Dynasty, Islamic temple-building activities spread all over the country, and Christianity was also valued and protected. The national teacher Phagpa had initiated initiations to Kublai Khan, his queen, princes and many others. Buddhism replaced shamanism in the court. However, the influence of Buddhism is limited to the upper ruling class of Mongolia, and most Mongolians still believe in shamanism.
In the second half of the 16th century, Alatan Khan of the Tumut tribe in Mongolia welcomed Tsongkhapa's Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism. In 1578, Alatan Khan and Sonam Gyatso, the third Dalai Lama, met at Yanghua Temple in Qinghai and held a Dharma conference. At the Dharma meeting, Sonam Gyatso was conferred the title of "Holy Consciousness All Wazir Dalai Lama" by Alatan Khan. ”, thus the title of Dalai Lama was born. After that, with the support and promotion of the Ming and Qing dynasties, Tibetan Buddhism flourished in Mongolia. However, shamanism has survived to varying degrees in the eastern region in the form of sacrifices, divination, and healing activities.
Under the initiative of the Qing government, temples were built throughout Mongolia, Buddhist statues were carved, murals were painted, gods were cast, and various metal crafts were developed. The religious atmosphere became popular, and Lamaism became a paralysis in Mongolia. The people, tame the power of the people.
Sacrifice:
Sacrifice to "Tenggri", transliterated from Mongolian, meaning "Heaven". One of the concepts of Mongolian shamanism. It refers to the upper world, that is, the sky; it also refers to the "first master" who dominates all natural phenomena; it also means "destiny". The "Tengri" sacrifice is one of the important festivals of the Mongolian people. There are two ways to offer sacrifices to the gods: the "white sacrifice" using traditional dairy products and the "red sacrifice" using the blood of slaughtered sheep. In modern times, folk worship activities in Eastern League Banners were mostly held on the seventh or eighth day of July.
Sacrifice fire. Mongolian herdsmen and hunters worship fire very much. This is because their ancestors firmly believe in shamanism with natural attributes and animistic concepts. They believe that fire was produced when heaven and earth separated, so they worshiped fire. "Wodegarai Khan Erhe" is even more respected. Fire sacrifices are divided into annual sacrifices and monthly sacrifices. The New Year Festival is held on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month. Under the auspices of the elders, sacrifices such as butter, white wine, beef and mutton are thrown into the fire to thank the God of Fire for his blessing and to pray for prosperity, good harvests, and good fortune for both humans and animals in the coming year. Moon festivals are often held on the first and second day of each month. In addition, there are many taboos about fire that reflect the Mongolian people's respect for fire, such as not pouring water into the fire, not using knives or sticks to mess with the fire, not spitting into the fire, etc.
Sacrifice to Aobao. Sacrifice to Aobao is a religious custom passed down by the Mongolian people since ancient times. It is held every year when the water and grass are abundant. Aobao means pile of stones. That is, at a high place in a mountainous area with open ground and beautiful scenery, a round solid tower is piled with stones, and a long pole with scripture strips or livestock horns tied to the top. At that time, cooked beef and mutton are sacrificed, and the host delivers a prayer. Men, women, old and young worship and pray for good weather and safety for people and animals. After the sacrificial ceremony, competitive activities such as horse racing, archery, and wrestling are often held. The Aobao sacrifice was formed by Mongolians to commemorate the Ergun mountain forest area where it was born, expressing their attachment to their ancestral land and their infinite respect for their ancestors. This most important sacrificial sweeping ceremony in shamanism has now evolved into an annual festival.
Religious music, also called shamanic songs and dances, is performed by Mongolian shamans. A round single drum is used for accompaniment. The drum handle ring is covered with copper coins and other metal objects, which makes a rustling sound when shaken. Beat the drum head with a whip and dance to the rhythm of the drum. Sacrificial songs, witchcraft songs, etc. are mainly based on chanting and congratulations, with less dance elements. The performances are mostly solo dances, but there are also group singing and dancing, which can attract onlookers to participate in the performances. [Edit this paragraph] 5. Beautiful clothing Naadam Mongolian clothing includes robes, belts, boots, jewelry, etc. However, the styles vary from region to region. Taking women's robes as an example, the Mongolians in the Horqin and Karaqin areas often wear wide, straight robes that reach the heel, with slits on both sides, and the collar and cuffs are often welted with various colored flowers; the Mongolians in the Xilin Gol grassland wear fat, narrow sleeves. Mongolian robes with unslit edges; Buryat women wear waist-skirted shoulder-length robes; Ordos women's robes are divided into three pieces, the first one is an undergarment with sleeves as long as the wrist, and the second one is an outer garment. The sleeves are elbow-length, and the third collarless waistcoat has straight rows of flashing buttons. The robes worn by Mongolians in Qinghai are relatively similar to Tibetan robes. Except for Qinghai, men's clothing differs little from place to place. Wear jacket robes in spring and autumn, single robes in summer, and cotton robes or leather robes in winter. Mongolian people usually like to wear cloth clothes. During festivals or celebrations, they usually wear brocade-trimmed silk and satin clothes. Men's clothing is mostly blue and brown, while women's clothing likes to use red, pink, green, and sky blue. The belt is an important part of Mongolian clothing, made of satin or cotton three to four meters long. Men often wear knives, fire sickles, snuff boxes and other accessories on their belts. Mongolian boots are divided into two types: leather boots and cloth boots. Mongolian boots are made with fine workmanship and have exquisite patterns on the uppers and other parts. Wearing jewelry and hats is a Mongolian custom. Hats in each region also have local characteristics. The Mongolian hats of Inner Mongolia and Qinghai are high on top and flat on the sides. The lining is made of white felt, and the outside is decorated with leather or the felt is dyed purple-green for decoration. It is thicker in winter and thinner in summer. The top of the hat is decorated with tassels and the hatband is made of silk. It can be worn by both men and women. The Barhu and Buryat Mongolians of Hulunbuir wear shawl hats for men and pointed hats for women. Precious raw materials such as agate, jade, coral, pearls, and silver make Mongolian jewelry rich and luxurious. The color of men is mostly blue or dark brown, and some have their heads wrapped in silk. Women usually wrap their heads with red or blue bandanas, and in winter they wear conical hats like men.
Mongolian men wear robes and aprons, and women’s sleeves are embroidered with lace patterns and their tops have high collars, which seems to be similar to the ethnic group. Women like to wear three pieces of clothing of different lengths. The traditional Mongolian clothing - the Mongolian robe. The first piece is a close-fitting garment with sleeves as long as the wrist, the second outer garment has sleeves as long as the elbow, and the third piece has no collar, a double-breasted waistcoat, and a nail-pinned waistcoat. There are straight rows of flashing buttons, which are particularly eye-catching.
Mongolian costumes have a strong prairie style. Because the Mongolian people have lived in the Saibei grassland for a long time, both men and women of the Mongolian people like to wear robes. Winter clothes in pastoral areas are mostly made of bare leather, but there are also clothes made of satin or cotton. Summer clothes are mostly made of cloth. The robe has a fat body and long sleeves, and is mostly red, yellow or dark blue. There are no slits at the hem of men's or women's robes. Belt made of red and green satin.
Men often wear knives, fire sickles, snuff boxes and other accessories on their belts. Like to wear soft leather boots, knee-length. Farmers mostly wear common clothes, including slit robes, cotton coats, etc. In winter, they often wear felt boots, while high boots are rare, and the custom of tying the waist is retained. Men mostly wear blue or black-brown hats, and some wrap their heads with silk. Women usually wrap their heads with red or blue bandanas, and wear conical hats like men in winter. Unmarried women part their hair from the front to the middle and tie it into two roots with two large round beads on them. The hair hangs slightly downward and is decorated with agate, coral, jasper, etc. Another distinctive feature is the Mongolian wrestling uniform.
Mongolian wrestling uniform is a Mongolian clothing craft. Wrestling clothing includes waistcoats, trousers, chaps, and colorful silk belts. The waistcoat exposes the chest. Trousers are roomy. There are many patterns on the trousers, usually cloud patterns, plant patterns, longevity patterns, etc. The pattern is bold and powerful, and the color contrast is strong. The underwear is large and made of 10 meters of cloth. It is conducive to heat dissipation and prevents sweat from sticking to the body surface; it also adapts to the characteristics of wrestling and makes it difficult for opponents to use leg wrapping movements. The trousers are sewn from tough cloth or flannel. The knees are stitched together with patterns of various colored cloths. The patterns are generous and solemn, indicating good luck and good luck. The various parts of the costume are properly matched and integrated, showing the brave national characteristics. [Edit this paragraph] 6. Festival celebrations: Traditional festivals include "White Festival", sacrifices to Aobao, Naadam, the game of the brave on the grassland: the mane-beating festival, etc.
The biggest festival of the year among Mongolian people is the New Year's Day, which is equivalent to the Spring Festival of the Han people. It is also called "White Moon". Legend has it that it is related to the whiteness of milk and contains the meaning of blessings and good luck. The time of the festival roughly coincides with the Spring Festival. On New Year's Eve, every family eats hand-made meat, and also makes dumplings and pancakes. On the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, the younger generation toasts their elders with "New Year's Eve wine."
In addition to celebrating the New Year, people in Xilingol League also celebrate the "Mare Milk Festival" every summer. Before the festival, every family will slaughter sheep to make hand-made mutton or whole sheep feast, and also milk mare's milk to make wine. On the day of the festival, every herdsman family will take out the best dairy products such as dried milk, cheese, milk tofu and put them on the plate to entertain guests. Kumis is considered a holy drink and is offered to distinguished guests.
The Luban Festival is a traditional festival of the Mongolian people in Xicheng, Tonghai County, Yunnan Province. It is held every year on the second day of the fourth lunar month and lasts for one day. The Mongolian people living here learned construction techniques from other fraternal ethnic groups. The houses they built were not only unique and beautiful in shape, but also durable and highly praised by people of all ethnic groups nearby. In order to commemorate and celebrate their achievements in civil architecture, they designated the second day of the fourth lunar month as the Luban Festival. On the festival day, the builders, carpenters, and masons who went out to build the house had to rush home to celebrate the festival no matter how far they traveled. In every village, pigs and sheep are killed and a stage is set up for singing. People also picked up the statue of Lu Ban carved from sandalwood, beat gongs and drums, and traveled to various villages. Then everyone gathered on the field to sing and dance. Their favorite dance is called "Tiao Le". When dancing, young men take the lead. They hold dragon-headed ukuleles and dance while playing. The crowd behind them is divided into two rows, sometimes forming a circle and sometimes intersecting each other. The formations are changeable, and they sing and dance. The scene is very special. active.
The Lantern Festival falls on the 25th day of the tenth lunar month every year. When night falls, every family lights butter lamps to celebrate. Nowadays, most Mongolians in Buxer Mongolian Autonomous County and Emin County no longer celebrate the Lantern Festival; the Mongolians in Wusu County do not light lanterns for many days during the Lantern Festival, and instead use various forms of entertainment.
After the festival, villages are busy harvesting wheat and rapeseed, plowing fields and planting rice seedlings. After completing these farm work, the craftsmen went out in groups to contract construction. [Edit this paragraph] 7. Food and delicacies: milk tofu. There are many Mongolian foods with unique characteristics, such as roasted lamb, oven-roasted whole sheep with skin, hand-caught mutton, big fried lamb, roasted lamb legs, milk tofu, Mongolian buns, and Mongolian stuffing. Cake etc.
There are also folk dishes: cream, a common dairy product of the Mongolian people; milk skin; whole sheep banquet, which is a traditional Mongolian banquet dish, and is also commonly used in sacrificial activities; cooked roast sheep, a flavor dish of the Ordos region of Inner Mongolia; cabbage and mutton rolls; Xinsu cake, a traditional Mongolian folk pastry; dried rice, a Mongolian snack.
Mongolian herdsmen regard sheep as the guarantee of life and the source of wealth. There are three meals a day, and each meal is inseparable from milk and meat. Foods made from milk are called "Chaganyide" in Mongolian, which means holy and pure food, that is, "white food"; foods made from meat are called "Ulanyide" in Mongolian. "De" means "red food".
In addition to the most common milk, Mongolian people also consume goat milk, horse milk, deer milk and camel milk, a small part of which is used as fresh milk drinks, and most of which are processed into dairy products, such as yogurt There are more than ten kinds of dried tofu, milk tofu, milk skin, butter, cream, cream residue, cheese cake, milk powder, etc., which can be eaten with meals and are also snacks suitable for all ages. Dairy products have always been regarded as high-quality treasures. If there are guests, they must be offered first. If children come, milk skins or butter should be smeared on their foreheads to show good wishes.
The meat of the Mongolian people is mainly beef and sheep, followed by goat, camel and a small amount of horse meat. They also hunt yellow mutton during the hunting season. There are more than 70 common traditional ways to eat mutton, including whole lamb feast, tender skin whole lamb feast, slender wool whole lamb feast, roasted lamb, roasted lamb heart, fried lamb tripe, and lamb brain stew. The most distinctive ones are Mongolian roasted whole sheep (skinned and roasted), oven-roasted whole sheep with skin or Alxa roasted whole sheep, and the most common one is hand-caught lamb. Mongolian people pay attention to cooking mutton and eating it immediately after cooking to keep the mutton fresh and tender. Especially when making hand-made mutton, avoid overcooking. However, the Mongolian people in the mixed Mongolian and Han areas in eastern Inner Mongolia also like to cook the meat with seasonings and cook the meat into crispy hand-made mutton. Mongolians in some areas also like to cut the meat from the lamb loin into large pieces, fry it in batter and fry it into fried meat slices, which is called "big fried sheep" among the people. Beef is mostly eaten in winter. Some are made into all-beef feasts, and more are made into stews, braises, and soups. Camel meat and horse meat are also eaten, and fried camel hump slices dipped in sugar are regarded as delicacies. Experienced chefs are also good at cooking beef tendon, deer tendon, bullwhip and oxtail into various therapeutic dishes. In order to facilitate preservation, beef and mutton are often made into jerky and bacon.
As important as red food and white food in daily diet, fried rice is a unique Mongolian food. The Mongolian people in the western region also have the custom of using fried rice to make "beng". When using fried rice to make "bang", add mutton oil, red dates, red and white sugar, mix well, knead into small pieces, and use it as tea or rice. Unsteamed millet is often used to cook porridge with diced meat, and millet powder can be used to make pancakes. Various foods made from flour are also increasingly included in the Mongolian daily diet. The most common ones are noodles and pancakes, and they are good at filling them with flour. Make unique Mongolian buns, Mongolian pies and Mongolian pastry Xinsu cakes. The Mongolian people in Alxa and Ordos in the west also have the habit of making dumpling-shaped "Zhangru" with flour. Zherim League in the east is rich in buckwheat, and pancakes made with buckwheat flour are a unique local food.
The Mongolian people cannot live without tea every day. In addition to drinking black tea, almost everyone has the habit of drinking milk tea. The first thing every morning is to make milk tea. It is best to use freshly purified water and boil it. After boiling, put the tea powder into a clean pot or pot, simmer for 2-3 minutes, then add fresh milk and salt, and bring to a boil. Mongolian milk tea sometimes also adds butter, or milk skin, or fried rice, etc. It is aromatic, salty and delicious, and is a nourishing drink containing a variety of nutrients. Some people even think that it is okay to go without food for three days, but not drink milk tea for one day. Mongolian people also like to use the fruits, leaves and flowers of many wild plants to make milk tea. The cooked milk tea has different flavors, and some can prevent and cure diseases.
Most Mongolians can drink alcohol, and the alcohol they drink is mostly liquor and beer. In some areas, they also drink milk wine and kumiss. When the Mongolian people brew milk wine, they first put the fresh milk into a bucket, then add a small amount of yogurt juice (more acidic than ordinary yogurt) as a starter, stir it every day, and wait for 3 to 4 days until the milk has completely turned sour, then it can be put into the pot. Heating, cover a bottomless wooden bucket on the pot, hang several small cans on the inside of the large-mouthed wooden bucket, and then sit an iron pot filled with cold water on the bottomless wooden bucket. After the yogurt is heated, it evaporates and is cooled. The iron pot condenses into liquid and is dripped into a small pot to become the first pot of milk wine. If the degree is not strong, it can be steamed in the second pot. Every festival or gathering of guests and friends, there is a habit of drinking heavily. Kumiss is made from fermented fresh mare's milk and does not require distillation.
『Braised Meat with Milk Wine』 Ma Kumiss The Mongolian people have lived on the grasslands and relied on animal husbandry for their livelihood.
Kumiss, hand-chopped meat, and roasted mutton are their favorite daily drinks, foods, and delicacies for entertaining guests. Every year in July and August, when the cattle are fat and the horses are strong, it is the season for brewing kumiss. Industrious Mongolian women store mare's milk in skins and stir it. After a few days, the milk fat is separated and fermented into wine. With the development of science and the prosperity of life, the Mongolian people's craftsmanship in brewing kumiss has become increasingly sophisticated and perfect. There are not only simple fermentation methods, but also a distillation method for brewing strong kumiss. The milk wine after six steaming and six brewing is the top grade. Kumiss is warm in nature and has the effects of dispelling cold, relaxing tendons, activating blood circulation, and strengthening the stomach. Known as purple jade pulp and yuan jade pulp, it is one of the "Eight Treasures of Mongolia". It was once the main drink of the Yuan Dynasty palace and the mansions of Mongolian nobles. Kublai Khan often served it in precious golden bowls to reward meritorious officials. Braised meat with hands is one of the traditional food methods of Mongolians. The method is to disembowel a fat and tender sheep, peel off the skin, remove the internal organs, wash it, remove the head and hoofs, then cut the whole sheep into large pieces, boil it in white water, take it out when the water is boiling and the meat is cooked, and place it on a large plate When it is served, everyone holds a Mongolian knife and cuts into large pieces to eat. It got its name because it uses hands to eat without using chopsticks.