‘Secret History of the Mongols’ no longer so secret

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A giant artwork based on the "The Secret History of the Mongols," one of the oldest surviving Mongolian-language literary works, has been put on display in Ulan Bator, Mongolia’s capital.

Applique of "The Secret History of the Mongols" on display. /Xinhua Photo

The work has been embroidered on 108 meters of felt applique with the help of special technology and decorative embroidery.

According to the organizers, it took nearly 5,000 folk artists from China, Mongolia, Russia and Kyrgyzstan to complete the piece.

Applique of "The Secret History of the Mongols" on display. /Xinhua Photo

It depicts Mongolian traditions such as animal herding and shamanistic rituals, as well as national ornaments, deer stones and petroglyphs.

The "Craftsmen of Khan Khentii" company in Umnudelger soum of Khentii Province initiated the project and craftsmen from various Mongolian regions helped create it.

"The Secret History of the Mongols" /Xinhua Photo

The main goal of the project is to pass on the tradition of felt embroidery applique, a traditional Mongolian handicraft, to future generations and to illustrate the lifestyle and traditions of the Genghis Khan era.

Applique of "The Secret History of the Mongols" on display. /Xinhua Photo

"For the applique we used 108 meters of felt, 110 meters of white fabric, 120 eyeleteers, 120 needles, 20,000 meters of camel wool thread and over 100 liters of paint in 32 colors," said J. Narantuya, an initiator of the project.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency