Erdene Ovoo

Erdene Ovoo

Erdene Ovoo is located at the northern end of Xilinhot city. "Erdene" in Mongolian means "treasure," and "Ovoo" means "pile" or "cairn." Thus, Erdene Ovoo can be translated as "Treasure Mountain" or "Treasure Land."

Legend has it that during the Qing Dynasty, this area was rich in water and grass, with the Xilin River flowing gently nearby. At the foot of the mountain lived an old herdsman named Erdene, who was a Buddhist believer known far and wide for his generosity. After he passed away, the locals named the mountain Erdene Mountain, and the ovoo on the mountain came to be called Erdene Ovoo.

There are many legends about the origin of ovoos on the grasslands. One explanation says that ovoos were originally used to worship ancestors. The traditional funeral practice of the Mongolian people on the grasslands was sky burial, also called - . When a family member died, the Mongolians would wrap the body in felt and, following the direction indicated by -, drag the body across the grassland with a ox cart. The place where the body fell was considered the burial site. To make it easier to worship the deceased later, a mother camel and a baby camel were brought along during the funeral. At the spot where the body fell, the baby camel’s leg was cut to let blood drip onto the ground. The following year, they would return with the same camels to search. Because of the camel’s keen sense of smell, it would mourn upon smelling the lingering blood, thus marking the exact burial location. People would then place stones there as markers, and over time these accumulated to form an ovoo. Another story is related to Genghis Khan, the "One Who Conquered the World." It is said that in the 13th century, Temujin frequently fought with various Mongol tribes. Each time he conquered a tribe, he would pile up earth on a high mountain or elevated spot, or build a cairn of stones and plant a flag as a symbol of conquest.

Over time, the meaning of ovoos has gradually become richer, and their forms more diverse. Initially, there was only one ovoo representing the protective deity, but later it evolved into three ovoos: the larger one in the middle representing the Heavenly God, the one on the right representing the Earth God, and the one on the left representing the Ancestral God. Seven ovoos represent the Seven Kagyu Buddhas, and thirteen ovoos are dedicated to the Thirteen Warriors.

Erdene Ovoo was first built in 1753 (the 18th year of the Qianlong reign in the Qing Dynasty) and consisted of thirteen ovoos. It was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, and in 1973, a Monument to the People's Heroes was erected. In 2002, the monument was relocated to the Martyrs' Cemetery. After nearly two years of planning and construction, with an investment of over 5 million yuan, Erdene Ovoo was restored. Behind the central large ovoo is a water altar, and the black-and-white sun-and-moon design in the altar symbolizes shining together with the sun and moon. The central large ovoo is the Buddha Ovoo, which was also the original ovoo of Abaganar Banner. The first ovoo on the left is the ovoo of the main hall of Bexig Temple, Choijin; the first and second on the right are ovoos of Bexig Temple. The remaining nine ovoos are those of the nine sums (administrative regions, equivalent to townships today) under the former Abaganar Banner: Ihe Gol Sum, Bagha Gol Sum, Taijin Nar Sum, Chagaor Sum, Bayan Hure Right Sum, Bayan Hure Left Sum, Huanude Right Sum, Huanude Left Sum, and Aragaljin Sum. Following the Mongolian tradition of revering the number nine, the steps leading up to Erdene Ovoo Mountain total 171. The number 171 is made up of 19 nines, and the sum of the digits in 171 also equals 9.

The traditional worship day of Erdene Ovoo is the 13th day of the fifth lunar month each year. By 1972, Erdene Ovoo, as the banner ovoo, had been worshipped annually for over 200 years. However, the tradition was interrupted during the Cultural Revolution. The first major worship ceremony after the 47-year hiatus took place on the 13th day of the fifth lunar month in 2004. Currently, the Nomadic Culture Festival, which begins with the worship of Erdene Ovoo, has been promoted as a city-level festive brand.

During ovoo worship, incense is first lit, and offerings are presented on the altar. Then, participants walk clockwise around the ovoo three times (either around all thirteen ovoos or just the main ovoo). Each time they approach the front of the main ovoo, they pause to make a wish. After completing the three rounds, they tie a khadag (prayer scarf) to the rope around the ovoo, then proceed to the right side of the altar to drink airag (fermented mare’s milk) and eat dairy products. When drinking, one uses the ring finger to flick a bit of the drink to honor the sky, the earth, and the ancestors, then sprinkles the rest gently onto the ground. When eating dairy products, the first bite is offered to the ovoo, and the rest is eaten by oneself.

Ovoo worship is generally reserved for men, but at Erdene Ovoo, both men and women can participate. After the worship, naadam festivals of varying scales are held, featuring mainly horse racing and wrestling. This event provides an opportunity for people to interact, and young men and women can express their affection for each other.