Genghis Khan Sacrifice Historical And Cultural Studies

This dissertation studies the Rite of Cagan Surug that is the most important memorial ceremony for the Genghis Khan, and intends to do cultural explanation on those rituals of the Rite of Cagan Surug. This study is based on first-hand observations, with the use of fieldwork method and other approaches of related subjects such as history, philology, anthropology, folklore and religion. The history of the Genghis Khan's Mausoleum should be clarified before we begin to research history and culture of the memorial ceremony for the Genghis Khan. However, the term "the Rite of Cagan Surug" has not been widely recognized and used in the previous academic research so far. This is the purpose of this study. Our research includes two aspects:research on history of the Genghis Khan's Mausoleum and cultural explanation on those rituals of the Rite of Cagan Surug. The latter is the focus of this article. The specific framework of this paper is as follows:This article consists of introduction, the main body (three chapters), conclusion, references and appendix. Introduction can be divided into three parts:The first part is an introduction about the objects, reason and significance of this study. The second part is an overview of previous academic research on the history and culture of memorial ceremony for the Genghis Khan, and argues feasibility and necessity of cultural research on the Rite of Cagan Surug in the meantime. The last part is a brief introduction about theories and methods used in the whole study.In the first chapter, the author discusses history and culture of the Rite of Cagan Surug. Two parts composes this chapter:the first part refers to origin of the term "the Rite of Cagan Surug", political characteristics of the Rite of Cagan Surug, changes in the number of the "Eight White House", changes of divine things to enshrine in the "Eight White House", the present situation of the "Eight White House" and details of the Rite of Cagan Surug. The other part elaborates history and the present situation of the "Eight White House" according to diachronic political changes, based on historical documents and materials from fieldwork surveys.The second chapter discusses religious impacts on the Rite of Cagan Surug including Shamanism and Buddhism. The influence of Shamanism appears in the following customs:the concept of the soul, Ucig, Saculi, symbol of color and number, the Koumiss Sprinkle ceremony, divination and the ceremony of Hutug Miliyalγ_a.1) Expounds the origin of Mongolian Shamanism and the results of academic research, and regards that the Rite of Cagan Surug is inherited from the Mongolian traditional Shamanist culture; 2) Discusses the concept of soul in the Rite of Cagan Surug. According to Shamanism, the soul is immortal in spite of the body has gone. Ancient Mongolian believed the soul of the Genghis Khan will exist forever in another way after his death. So the last breath of the Genghis Khan had been adsorbed in white camel's hair to permanent preservation and enshrine. The exactly white camel's hair is likely the initial divine thing that enshrines in the "Eight White House".3) Affirms the words and expressions in the Rite of Cagan Surug are one type of Shamanist literature. Furthermore, the order of these words and expressions by time of occurrence is——Saculi, Tugegel, Ucig, Sang.4) Reveals the symbol of color and number in ceremony of Saculi and Dalalγ_a. Ancient Mongolian cherish some odd numbers such as three, nine and thirteen more than others, and think white color as holy. It can be confirmed from the process of the Rite of Cagan Surug. The Koumiss Sprinkle ceremony is a reflection of respect to the nature especially to the Tegri. This kind of ceremony can well embody the close relationship between mankind and the nature. Divination is the remains of primitive faith. This paper researches two kinds of divinations. Ceremony of praying for children is an ancient custom of the Mongols. Hutug is a concept of mystical thought and it generally refers to human's praying for the blessing on the birth and life. The ceremony cf Hutug Miliyalγ_a is often held in the Golden Palace of the Genghis Khan in March 21st of the lunar calendar. That is a symbolic ceremony to pray for flourishing population of the Genghis Khan's offspring. Then, the author explores the spread history of Buddhism in Mongolia in order to give groundwork for the subsequent research about impact of Buddhism on the Rite of Cagan Surug. There are two important contents in this part:First of all, discusses the situation of the Darkhad to become Lama and temple construction; after that, it is concluded that "ejen sang" and "ejen sang-un rasi" are most affected by Buddhism even if there are a lot of Sang in Shamanist poetry.The third chapter of this article mainly discusses the ancestor worship. The ancestor worship is not only a significant part and special expression of the Xiao, but also a sign of difference between human and other animals. In view of special association between ancestors and their descendants, human pray for blessings from the soul of their own ancestors. This is a universal definition to the ancestor worship. One part of this chapter contains following three contents:the origin of Mongolian ancestor worship, Oblations in the Rite of Cagan Surug and concepts about Tegri in the Rite of Cagan Surug. In the other part of this chapter, the author discusses the heaven worship, Khans' sacrificial ceremonies at home and the Garili Rite that held in the evening in March 20th of the lunar calendar. The Garili Rite is the ancestor worship of the Gold Family. It is precisely because of the Garili Rite, the Rite of Cagan Surug is seen as one of a kind of the ancestor worship.In conclusion, generalizing the issues put forwarded in the introduction and the subsequent argumentation in the main body, the author also proposes some unique opinion on Mongolian's ritual culture reflected through the Rite of Cagan Surug. The Rite of Cagan Surug among the memorial ceremony for the Genghis Khan is a substantial thesis in the field of research on Mongolian culture, and need further in-depth study. The author consider that a study of the memorial ceremony for the Genghis Khan should embrace the history of the''Eight White House", various kinds of rituals, studies of the Golden Book, research on the Darkhad, Since these are the core of studies of Mongolian history and culture.