The Mongolian Historical Scroll

　　The Mongolian Historical Scroll is a painting that depicts the history from the birth of Genghis Khan to the withdrawal of the Yuan dynasty rulers from Dadu, their retreat to the northern grasslands, and the establishment of the Northern Yuan regime. It authentically reflects one of the most glorious chapters in Mongolian history, as well as the historical process of unifying China and accelerating global civilization. Spanning 206 meters, it is currently the longest oil painting in the world.

　　To fully showcase the grandeur of this 206-meter-long painting depicting the "Mongolian Historical Scroll," the museum used handheld cameras, shot without flash in low-light conditions, increased ISO sensitivity, and captured the artwork section by section.

　　According to historical records, after the Mongolian tribes were defeated by the Turkic tribes, only two men and two women survived. They fled to the banks of the Erguna River, settled there, and multiplied. Many years later, the tribe gradually prospered and branched into many groups. By the 8th century, due to continuous population growth and the need for better development, they had to migrate. By then, there were already 70 branches, known as the "Selel-Mongol." Among the migrating Mongols was a highly respected figure named Bodonchar, who led the Selel-Mongol and referred to themselves as the "Kiyanid clan." The Kiyanid people migrated to the area around the source of the Onon River and the Kent Mountains, transitioning from a hunting lifestyle to nomadic pastoralism. According to *The Secret History of the Mongols*, after the death of Bodonchar’s twelfth-generation descendant, Dobun Mergen, his widow, Alan Goa, gave birth to three more sons. Legend says these sons were conceived through divine means, and the Borjigin clan, descended from Bodonchar, are the ancestors of Genghis Khan. The Selel-Mongol were called the "Yeke Mongol" (Great Mongols) and were the original Mongols.

　　In the early 13th century, Genghis Khan unified the tribes of the Mongolian Plateau and established the Great Mongol Empire. Through a new household registration system, he redistributed the population, assigning defeated tribes such as the Tatars, Keraits, and Naimans to various mingghans (military units). Tribes of different ethnicities, uneven social development, and diverse dialects, under the unified rule of the Great Khan, formed a shared national community — the Mongol people — with a common territory, economic foundation, language, and psychological identity.

　　In 1162, Temujin, the son of Yesugei, leader of the Mongol Borjigin clan, was born on the grasslands by the Onon River when Yesugei achieved a great victory over their long-time enemies, the Tatars. In 1170, while returning from arranging a marriage for nine-year-old Temujin, Yesugei was poisoned by the Tatars.

　　After being captured, Temujin escaped death by hiding in a cart of wool with the help of the family of Sochigel. Eight horses belonging to his family were stolen. While chasing the thieves, he met his loyal companion, Bo'orchu. In 1178, Temujin married Börte.

　　The Battle of the Thirteen Wings: In 1191, Jamukha of the Jadaran tribe allied with a confederation of thirteen tribes to attack Temujin. Temujin formed an army of thirteen divisions and confronted them at Dalan Balzhut. This encounter is historically known as the "Battle of the Thirteen Wings."

　　Jamukha captured young men of the Cheined tribe who had pledged allegiance to Temujin and boiled them alive in seventy cauldrons. This act cost him the support of the people, leading many tribes to side with Temujin. The Battle of the Thirteen Wings was one of the campaigns during Temujin's (later known as Genghis Khan) unification of the Mongol tribes. In the late 12th century, under Temujin’s leadership, the Mongol Borjigin clan grew rapidly, which angered Jamukha, the leader of the Jadaran tribe. In the first year of the Mingchang era of the Jin dynasty (1190), Jamukha, using the excuse of the killing of one of his tribesmen who had raided Temujin’s horse herd, allied with the Tayichiud and thirteen other tribes totaling 30,000 men to attack Temujin.

　　Four years passed in the blink of an eye. Warfare continued among the grassland tribes, with conflict and smoke never ceasing. However, the four major powers — the Mongols, the Jalayir, the Keraites, and the Tatars — maintained an uneasy peace.

　　To avoid direct confrontation, they also actively employed various strategies to annex smaller powers in order to grow stronger and prepare for the great battles to come. These were four relatively peaceful years, but also years of simmering tension beneath the surface. Anyone with insight could tell that this calm was merely the lull before a massive storm.