Have you ever stood deep in the grassland, with the sound of the wind in your ears and endless green in front of you? In northern China, there is a border area that always makes people feel a sense of emptiness and solidity like the wilderness. Inner Mongolia, the name itself is a bit legendary. Going further north, there is the independent Mongolia, a country where the nomadic atmosphere has not yet been completely dried up. The two places, like brothers and mirror images, one on the left and one on the right, fully display the soul of the entire Mongolian Plateau.
Take a deep breath on the grassland and get lost in the desert
When talking about Inner Mongolia, the first thing that comes to mind for many people is the grassland. Yes, it is incredibly vast. Gegentala, Huitengxile, Jinlianchuan… These names are like poems, and also like ancient passwords. Once they are read out, it seems as if the sound of the wind will automatically blow from all directions.
In July and August, people and horses are relaxed. Riding horses on the grassland is a “must”, but don’t rush the trip – the real fun is actually hidden in the details of making milk tea with herdsmen and listening to the throat singing around the campfire. If you are lucky, you can also see a meteor dragging its tail across your head.
As for the desert, it is a completely different scene. Badain Jaran in western Inner Mongolia is not only a sand dune, but also a sand that can “sing”, which is called “resonant sand gorge”. This place is very strange. When the wind blows, the sand is like someone whispering in your ear. There are several lakes hidden between the sand dunes. The blue is like the color cards in fairy tales scattered on the ground. There are also people driving motorboats, sandboarding, and riding hot air balloons. It is as noisy as an amusement park, but as long as you look back, it is a silent world again.
Hidden threads of history beyond Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan. You have certainly heard of him, a world-class name. But if you think that this is the entire history of the Mongolian Plateau, you are too simplistic.
The Genghis Khan Mausoleum in Inner Mongolia is not just a tourist attraction, it is more like a spiritual anchor for the nation. Many Mongolians still hold him in an almost religious respect. In addition to the mausoleum, you can also find more delicate historical textures in some small-scale museums, libraries, and even temples in the area.
In Mongolia, there is a place called “Flame Cliff”, which is not a setting in a novel, but a real place. The Gobi soil there is particularly red, and it looks like a whole piece of burning rock from a distance. And this is the paradise of dinosaur fossils. Archaeologists are still digging in the soil to find new species. I heard that a dinosaur that “may swim” was discovered in 2022. The history hidden in the grassland is far more than the legend of the emperor.
Life on the grassland is not as primitive as you think
You may think that nomadic life is ancient and backward, but it is not. Many herders on the Mongolian Plateau live quite modern lives. Although they still live in yurts, you will know when you go in: there are solar panels, LED lights, and some people watch short videos on smartphones. Herding during the day and chatting on the phone at night is a bit out of place, but it is also quite real.
Tradition and modernity go hand in hand here. They eat mutton, drink mare’s milk, chat about the weather, sing songs, and even use power panels to charge their phones. Their philosophy of life is “enough is good enough”, which sounds simple, but if you really want to do it, you have to learn to “let go” first.
Summer is a carnival of grassland festivals
If you plan to visit the Mongolian steppes, I strongly recommend going in summer. Really, don’t hesitate. Because that is the season with the most festivals and the most lively atmosphere.
The “Nadam Festival” held in July every year is simply a national version of the “Olympic Games”. Wrestling, horse racing, and archery are not only competitive, but also a display of tradition. The competition site is crowded with people. You may not understand the rules, but you can feel the atmosphere, a kind of power rooted in the land and bursting out of the body.
Interestingly, young people in Mongolia are now starting to have new ways of playing. They hold the “Gobi Soul” music festival, set up a stage in the desert, sing electronic music and play rock music. I heard that the sand reflects light at night, and the music and the starry sky are just right. This wonderful fusion makes people wonder: Is tradition really only a thing of the past?
In conclusion:
If you are tired of routine travel and want to find a place where you can “take a breath” and “have some fun”, you might as well turn your attention to this plateau. Grasslands, deserts, dinosaur fossils, Genghis Khan, enthusiastic herdsmen and a sudden sense of modernity, everything is defenseless.
In this vast world, you may also find a new scale: life can be less complicated, and the road under your feet can be less straight. The wind blowing the grass low may hide the answer, or it may just be a gust of wind.