Genghis Khan (1167-1227) based his sixth expeditionary force to
the Western Xia regime in 1226 in Otog Qi (county) in Ordos, a city
of north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, a Chinese
expert has claimed.
"Genghis Khan's main force was located in Arjai Grotto of Otog
Qi where he recovered from injuries," said Batujirghal, director of
the Otog cultural relics protection center.
The claim is the latest in a long-running debate over whether
Genghis Khan's troops passed through Ordos.
More than 80 deep wells each 10 meters apart are located 20 km
to the east of Arjai. They were believed to be the so-called "100
wells" that provided water for the Khan's tens of thousands of
soldiers and horses, said Batujirghal.
The modern name of Unsun-Talan-Suduk (100 Wells) was mentioned
many times in the book titled The Untold History of Mongolia
written in Mongolian, covering Mongolian history from 700 to 1240,
said Batujirghal.
The Untold History of Mongolia was said to be completed 766
years ago by an unknown author, and is listed as a world classic
book by UNESCO in 1989 as a valuable document.
Evidence also lay in the name of the place where Genghis Khan
fell from his horse and was injured while hunting, experts
said.
The hunt took place in Arbuqa, which was described in the book
as having a similar landscape to the Arbus Mountains, where Arjai
Grotto was located, said Batujirghal.
The Untold History of Mongolia detailed how Genghis Khan
gathered his generals in the grotto to work out strategies in the
successful campaign against the Western Xia regime in Helan
Mountain, stretching 180 km between Inner Mongolia Autonomous
Region and northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, he
said.
In the 31st cave of the Grotto, a good-sized fresco was believed
to picture the memorial ceremony for Genghis Khan and his
family.
Genghis Khan, whose grandson Kublai Khan founded the Yuan
Dynasty (1271-1368), unified the Mongol tribes and conquered most
of Eurasia. He received the titel "Genghis Khan", meaning
"universal ruler", in 1205.
"The events that happened 780 years ago made the grotto a place
of pilgrimage for Mongolians," Batujirghal said.
(Xinhua News Agency December 26, 2006)