The grassland is the symbol of Inner Mongolia, since ancient times is the place where people sing and yearn for. "The sky is pale, the field is vast, the wind blows the grass low to see the cattle and sheep", "the beautiful grassland my home, the wind blows the green grass all over the flowers", "blue sky white clouds floating, white clouds below the horse running". ...... These picturesque descriptions evoke the yearning of many people for the grasslands. Hulunbeier Prairie, Xilingol Prairie, Xilamuren Prairie and other pastoral areas are excellent choices to feel the grassland. Pure and beautiful sky with low clouds, vast and beautiful pastures scattered with points of white yurts, fresh air, cattle and sheep, for people who have lived in the city for a long time, this is all so far away and beautiful.
Today I'd like to introduce you to Inner Mongolia.
Culture of Inner Mongolia
Ovoo worship: This is a traditional Mongolian religious activity, Ovoo is in the grasslands, mountain slopes or sand dunes on the heights of the stone, earth, wicker and other bases and become. "Ovoo" is the earliest in the boundless steppe established to identify the direction of the road, the road, the sign of the border, and then become a sacrifice to the god of the mountain, the god of the road place. Ovoo sacrifice is held in July and August. During the festival, tree strips are inserted into the Ovoo, and colorful cloth or paper flags are hung on it. In the hearts of the Mongolian people, Ovoo is a sacred place.
Hand-picked mutton : Mongolian language called hand-picked mutton as "Buheli Maha". It is a simple and affordable food for Mongolian people on the steppe. Practice is just after the slaughter of sheep, select the good parts, *** head and hooves in the water except *** white water in the pot, the original juice boiled. Sheep eat grassland five herbs, fully seasoned, without any seasoning, as long as the mastery of the technology of clear cooking, you can do a delicious and tasty. No utensils are used when eating, and they are eaten with their hands.
Mongolian toast: Mongolia pouring wine to honor the guests the most exquisite, wine is the essence of food, the crystallization of the grains, is the best expression of the loyalty of friends of the precious food. The master of the wine poured in a silver bowl or gold cup, resting on a clean white hatha, singing a touching toast to express their sincerity and feelings, then the guests should then take the wine, can drink, can not drink is tasted a little, and then return the wine to the master, not to push, pull, thank the master of the toast, or he will think that you are the master of the look down on, do not want to make friends, can not be treated with sincerity.
Men's three arts : Men's three arts held during the annual Naadam conference, including wrestling, horse racing and archery three. Wrestling is the men's "three arts" in the most important activity. Genghis Khan was selected as the Mongolian Khan, then wrestling as an important subject for the assessment of soldiers, folk wrestling is also listed as the first game of the festival. Horse racing is also the highlight of the festival and attracts the most attention from visitors. Horse racing with small children, riders lined up, everyone tied a colorful belt, head wrapped in a colorful scarf, very handsome. People show off their horses and steeds through horse races and display their outstanding riding skills. Archery is a recreational competition of ancient Mongolian military combat, hunting and hunting wild animals. Archery is divided into two forms of static shooting and riding shooting, static shooting of the bow and arrow style, weight, length, tension are not limited to the distance is also not equal; riding shooting requires horseback archery, skillful riders can be a hundred shots, won the audience applause.
Best time to visit Inner Mongolia
The best time to visit Inner Mongolia is generally summer. This is the best time to view the grassland scenery. However, Inner Mongolia is a vast area, east and west spanning a great deal of time, different areas of the most beautiful scenery is not the same time. Roughly speaking, Inner Mongolia can be divided into grassland area and desert area two tourist regions.
The grassland area of spring, summer and fall are almost connected, May - September climate is relatively mild, clear and cool, suitable for playing. However, to go to the grassland is best in mid-July - early September period to go, this time the grassland is not only beautiful water and grass, cattle and sheep into flocks, and the grassland areas of the annual "Naadam" General Assembly are almost all held during this period. At that time, watch the event, horseback riding in the grassland, the joy is incomparable. Recommended scenic spots: Xilingol League, Hailar.
The best places to visit in Inner Mongolia
1, the eastern grassland area: the grassland of spring, summer and fall seasons are almost connected together, so the climate between May and September is mild, clear and cool, very suitable for travel. The annual "Naadam" conference is held in July-September.
2, the eastern forest area: in the autumn to go to the Aershan Daxinganling forest sea, the layers of forests, colorful, like a painting, beautiful. Of course, if you are not afraid of the cold, you can also consider the winter to glance at the sea of forests and snow plains.
3, the western Gobi Desert area: go to the western desert area is best to choose the fall, that is, August-October, the fall of the desert fell in the endless dark golden mist, and occasionally a little oasis and the mysterious mirage, showing the desert's beautiful and magnificent. In addition, the poplar forests of Ejina are also the most flavorful in the golden autumn.
Local Tourism Festivals in Inner Mongolia
Nadam Grassland Tourism Festival
Time: Every year in July and August
In Inner Mongolia, there is a rich and colorful ethnic cultures, horse racing, wrestling, and archery are known as the Mongols' "Men's three arts", organized by the Naadam Grassland Tourism Festival focuses on the Mongolian national song and dance, sports, athletics, clothing, food and drink in all aspects of the splendid culture. Naadam, meaning "entertainment" or "game" in Mongolian, is a traditional Mongolian mass ***. Naadam started with simple song and dance entertainment, and later added wrestling, archery, horse racing and other competitions, with grand scenes and warm atmosphere. Tourism Festival, visitors can live in the yurt tasting milk tea, but also to participate in the riding and shooting songs and dances and other programs, fully experience the grassland people's bold and natural ethnic customs.
Chagansa Day
Time: December 23rd of the lunar calendar to the first month of the whole year
Chagansa Day, translated into Chinese as the "white month", is also known as the "white festival "
Animal Husbandry Festival
Time: every year before and after the first month of the Qingming Festival
Mongolians are nomadic people, love animals like children. China's ancient times, families are concerned about the prosperity of the people, but for the grasslands on the simple herdsmen, herds of animals is just as important, because the herd is the assets they rely on for survival. So when people celebrate the Spring Festival in the first month of the year, they don't forget to give their livestock a new year.
Bonfire Festival
Time: June 18 every year
Bonfire Festival is a traditional festival of the Oroqen people in northern Inner Mongolia, in which the Oroqen people will light bonfires and collectively gather around the bonfire, singing and dancing, and enjoying themselves all night long. Oroqen people have a long history of worshiping the fire god. They believe that the fire has the role of driving away evil spirits and dirt, and the vessels and clothes are put on the fire to bake, which is considered to become clean. On the 23rd day of the Lunar New Year, there is also the custom of sending the fire god to heaven. On the morning of the Spring Festival, offerings are made to the Fire God, kowtowing to the spring fire and praying for blessings. Whenever guests come to pay homage at the Spring Festival, they must first pay homage to the Fire God.
Horse Milk Festival
Time: every summer
Mongolian people herding five animals and milk milk processing of a variety of milk food, is the pastoral production and nomadic life of the important content. Milk food is the main source of diet for herdsmen, so every year when they start to milk the new milk, they have to carry out certain ceremonies, and have a party to celebrate in the hope of obtaining more and better milk food, which is the ancient and typical Horse Milk Festival.
Inner Mongolia Viewing Tips
1, desert tourism is preferred in the summer and fall; spring more sandstorms, winter is too cold.
2, travel must be drinking water, convenient food, and cold medicine, intestinal, stomach medicine.
3, the temperature difference between day and night in the desert is very large, to have sunglasses, sunscreen, sunscreen long-sleeved clothing, as well as cold clothes.
4, if camping in the desert, to prepare a sleeping bag and moisture-proof pad.
5, the desert if the sandstorm, absolutely can not hide in the leeward slopes; if there is a camel counterparts, the camel can be led to the windward slope, hiding behind the camel.
6, bring more disinfectant tissues, all the way to the health situation is not very good. And the desert sandy wind, to prepare plastic bags to protect the camera.
7, desert tourism, please try to burn or bury biodegradable garbage, take away non-biodegradable garbage, to protect the environment.
Inner Mongolia Cuisine
Roasted whole sheep, shabu-shabu, roasted leg of lamb, back of lamb, hand-picked pork, fried mutton chops, roasted tail of lamb, roasted square of lamb, roasted bullwhip, roasted beef trotters, horsemilk wine, milk skins, ghee, yoghurt, sour ***, milk tea, grilled camel's paw, sweet and sour camel's hump, a little bit of beauty, oat noodle, buckwheat noodle.
Specialty shopping around Inner Mongolia
Hohhot is the capital of Inner Mongolia. Here a full range of commodities, buy souvenirs, you can go to the capital of Hohhot street market trade, where there is the largest local agricultural and sideline products market, a wide range of commodities, inexpensive and beautiful, omnipresent. Buy brand-name special products, you can go to Hohhot New Century Plaza on New Town West Street, or Zhongshan West Road, Tianyuan Commercial Building, Wuta East Street, Mandurah Trade Building, where you can buy authentic products.
Hulunbeier's ethnic handicrafts are known for their rugged feel and wide range of uses. Hulunbeier League Inner Mongolia Foreign Trade Crafts Factory produces silver artifacts, Hailar City, the national *** tweed *** clothing factory produces shepherd's brand Mongolian robes, Mongolian knives Hailar City, the National Products Factory produces knives - mainly Mongolian knives and the King's Waist Knife, the Hailar Longyi Engraving Factory to develop a series of wood carvings such as murals and other artifacts.
Hailar shopping is quite convenient, especially famous for dairy and meat products. The cream, cheese, milk powder and ice-cream cold drinks and other dairy products here are finely processed and nutritious.
Manzhouli's tourist souvenirs to the Russian goods, mainly Russian otter, sable, seal, fox skin hats and coats, shawls, scarves, Russian watches, binoculars, a variety of small electrical appliances.
Inner Mongolia grassland tour notes
1, the best wear long-sleeved pants, in addition to sunscreen can also be anti-mosquito; shoes are best to bring a pair of suitable for cross-country, mountain climbing shoes.
2, sunscreen supplies and anti-mosquito drops must be prepared.
3, picked mushrooms are best dried the same day; or stay a day more, dry and then bring home. Otherwise, the wet mushrooms just picked in the hot summer will be bad after ten hours. Some mushrooms may have a lot of worms in them, but it doesn't matter, the locals say that mushrooms like that are more delicious. If you don't know how to find mushrooms, you can ask the locals.
4, if you are traveling by car, it is best to have two cars to accompany you on the road, you can take care of the journey and have more fun, and you can order more food for dinner. It is recommended to have a handheld table, 4 to 5 watts of power, the price of 300 yuan or so, very practical. In addition to prepare a good map, diligently ask for directions to avoid getting lost.
5, you can bring some food, play things to relax in the grasslands. Some of the entertainment items that require a venue are most suitable, such as kites, Frisbees, etc.. But pay attention not to leave non-degradable garbage on the grassland.
6, driving process do not casually drive the car down the highway to crush the turf, which is the Grassland Law does not allow.
Mongolian etiquette
Love animals: If you meet the herd on the grassland, cars and pedestrians have to go around, do not pass through the herd, otherwise it will be considered disrespectful to the owner.
Being a guest: the car to the herdsman's home guests to see whether the yurt near the Lele car on the tethered horse, do not rush into, lest the horse scared to break the reins and run away.
The tea: to the herdsman's home guests, the host will first give the guests a bowl of milk tea. Guests should be slightly yawning up with both hands or right hand to receive, do not use the left hand to receive, otherwise it will be regarded as do not understand etiquette. When the host poured tea, guests do not want tea, please use the bowl edge gently spoon or pot mouth a touch, the host will instantly understand the intention of the guests.
Toast: Pouring wine to honor the guests is a traditional way of Mongolian hospitality, which is to express the respect and love of the guests on the grassland herdsmen's land. Usually, the host will pour wine in a silver bowl, gold cup or horn cup, on the long haida, singing a moving traditional Mongolian song of toast, the guest if you are pushing, pulling, pulling, not drinking, will be considered to be on the host to look down on. Guests should then catch the wine, catch the wine with the ring finger dipped in wine to the sky, the earth, the fireplace direction point to show that honor the sky, the earth, the fire god. Will not drink do not have to force, can dip the lips to show that the acceptance of the host's pure friendship.
Hadar: Hadar is an indispensable item in the daily rituals of the Mongolian people. Offer Hada is the Mongolian herdsmen welcome guests and daily interaction in the use of etiquette. When dedicating the Hada, the host holds the Hada with both hands open and chants auspicious wishes or praises, rendering an atmosphere of respect, and at the same time, the folded mouth of the Hada is directed toward the guest who receives the Hada. Guests should stand up and face the person offering the khat and concentrate on listening to the toast and accepting it. When accepting the khata, the guest should bow slightly forward to allow the khata giver to place the khata around the guest's neck. The guest should clap his hands together in front of his chest to express his gratitude to the Hatha giver.
Inner Mongolia driving tour notes
1, Inner Mongolia to go to the attractions of the highway most of the straight tarmac, very good, but because the road on both sides of the endless grassland, the lack of reference, easy to drive to a very high speed but do not have any feeling, so step on the throttle to pay attention to watch the speedometer, can not be over-speed.
2, to some of the attractions of the oil road is narrower, but the road base will be wider, the meeting of the car needs a side of the next side of the wheel to the gravel, this time must be careful, do not try to be brave, the initiative to give way to a safer choice.
3, the tourist spots here are very decentralized, between the various tourist attractions are generally at least a distance of hundreds of kilometers, and tourist areas are generally no gas station, so be sure to fill up the gasoline every day before departure.