Mongolia Lesson #2 - SOYOMBO

The ideograph "Soyombo” is considered by Mongols to be the symbol of national freedom and independence. An old Mongolian script was developed on the basis of signs included in Soyombo. Each sign has its own significance from the ancient time .The sign of flame at the top signifies revival, growth and progress. Fire also symbolizes home, continuation of family clan and people. Three tongues of the flame mean prosperity in the past, present and future.
Below the flame are the signs of the Sun and Moon. These are totemic ancestors of Mongols. This sign customarily was put on monument to fallen warriors who died in defense of their home. In ancient symbolic, the blade of an arrow or spear turned towards the ground meant death.
In the Soyombo, two triangular looking down signify death to the enemies of the people. Rectangular shapes placed horizontally one above the other mean: “Let everybody be honest and fair in their service to people”.
Fish in Mongolian life is a creature never closing eyes and hence a symbol of watchfulness; two fish stand for a man and a woman, reason and wisdom.The two vertical lines on the sides of the emblem signify fortress. Fortified walls stand for an old Mongolian saying “Friendship of two men is stronger than stone walls”.In the Soyombo ideograph acquiring a wider meaning: Let all the people be unified by friendship and common goal, then its strength will exceed that of the stone walls of a fortress.
In 1924, the first National Khural of MPR accepted Soyombo as the national emblem of the country, adding to it the lotus flower worshipped since ancient times as a symbol of purity of heart and mind.

Mongolia Lesson #1

The Mongol Empire was governed by civilian and military code, called the Yassa code.

An interesting aspect of Mongol Empire was it did not emphasize the importance of biological and cultural ethnicity and race among nomadic groups. The exception was the role of Genghis Khan and his family. The Mongol Empire was therefore one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse empires in history, as befitted its size. Many of the empire’s nomadic inhabitants considered themselves Mongols in military and civilian life, including Turks, Mongols, Arabs, and others.

There were to some degree ideals such as meritocracy among the Mongols and allied nomadic people in military and civilian life. There were tax exemptions for intellectuals like teachers and doctors. The Mongol Empire practiced religious tolerance to a large degree because it was generally indifferent to belief. The exception was when religious groups challenged the state. Those Ismaili Muslims that resisted the Mongols were exterminated.

The Mongol Empire linked together the previously fractured Silk Road states under one system and became somewhat open to trade and cultural exchange. However, the Mongol conquests did lead to a collapse of many of the ancient trading cities of Central Asia that resisted invasion. Taxes were also heavy and conquered people were used as forced labor in those regions.

Modern Mongolian historians say that towards the end of his life, Genghis attempted to create a civil state under the Great Yassa that would have established the legal equality of all individuals, including women [1]; however, there is no contemporary evidence of this or of the lifting of discriminatory policies towards sedentary peoples such as the Chinese. Modern scholars refer to a theoretical policy of encouraging trade and communication as the concept of Pax Mongolica (Mongol Peace).

source: Wikipedia.org

Two-dimensional Art

Click photo to enlarge 1. The Goddess Usnisavijaya, Jugder, 19th century, ink and colors on cotton, Museum of Fine Arts

Thousands of years of nomadic life and the destruction of Mongolia's Buddhist monasteries in the 1930s have greatly limited the survival of pre-twentieth century Mongolian visual art. Still, the earliest examples of Mongolian painting, petroglyphs, date to more than two thousand years ago. Significant paintings also remain from the Uighur people, who lived in the 8th century.

Mongolian art experienced a sort of renaissance beginning with the flowering of Buddhism in Mongolia during Zanabazar's time, 1635 - 1723. From this time until the shift to socialism in the early 1920s, much of the subject matter in Mongolian art was Buddhist. The work of artists, who were generally also monks, was used as objects of worship. The most common media in religious two-dimensional art were mineral pigments on cloth (photo 1) and appliquй (pieces of cloth stitched together and embroidered to form an image.) Applique (photo 2) was especially suited to Mongolian life, as it was easy to transport and held up well in the dry climate, as opposed to paintings, which might be damaged by the climate and the wear and tear of frequent rolling and unrolling. In addition, many monasteries were engaged in printing sutras and religious texts by woodblock.

With political and social changes beginning in the early 20th century, some artists began to move away from purely religious art and focused more on people and everyday life. B. Sharav, who was educated as a monk, was a painter who adjusted as his world changed and linked the old with the new in his art. The Mongolian way of life is depicted in his famous work "One Day in Mongolia," (photo 3) which combines traditional Buddhist art aesthetics with secular subject matter.

With the support of the Soviets, the People's Republic of Mongolia was established in 1924, and in this year B. Sharav painted a portrait of Lenin. (photo 4) This adaptability of Sharav's illustrates a huge shift in Mongolian art: works created during the period under Socialism were dedicated to publicizing the new system. In the 1930s, Stalinist purges destroyed most monasteries and killed many monks in Mongolia. Also, in the early 20th century, a new aesthetic was introduced, as Mongolian artists were exposed to Western-style oil painting. In order to develop Mongolian art systematically, specialized artists were trained and specialized agencies were established in Mongolia. In the 1940s, the Mongolian government began sponsoring art students' travel and study in the Soviet Union. During this time, Socialist Realism (photo 5) and 19th century Impressionist styles dominated art produced by Mongolians.

Click photo to enlarge 2. Six-armed Mahakala, unkown, early 20th century, silk appliquй, Bogdo Khan Palace Museum

In the 1950s many genres of fine art, carpet and porcelain production were introduced in Mongolia and developed. During this period many artists and architects became very famous for their thematic work, namely, painter O. Tsevegjav for animals (photo 6), U.Yadamsuren for workers, N.Tsultem and G.Odon for history and everyday life, L.Gavaa for nature, and architect S.Choimbol for monuments.

The 1960s and 70s saw two interesting trends in Mongolian art. One is that after decades of almost solely working in Soviet and early-Russian styles, some Mongolian artists began to incorporate the older Mongolian aesthetic into their pieces, which remained Socialist in tone. Thus, for example, one finds stylized flowers, clouds, and rivers surrounding the Mongolian seal and all the ethnic groups; or, an idyllic Socialist scene very reminiscent of Sharav's "One Day in Mongolia." (photo 7) Also, the technique of applique resurfaced, (photo 8) especially in the mid-1960s when the government commissioned a number of applique works to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Revolution.

A second trend during these decades and beyond was that Mongolians began to look outside the Soviet Union for influences to Eastern Europe. Their work began to show more individualism: artists began refusing to use realism, linear perspectives, and harmonization of colors, and explored other techniques of painting. (photos 9 and 10) However, throughout these decades, the government kept a close eye on art, and was known to close exhibitions, punish artists with fines, and denounce abstract work as bourgeois. One banned piece was "The Mother's Love," (photo 11) by O. Tsevegjav, painted in 1968.

In 1990, Mongolia changed to a multi-party system and market-based economy. This meant both positive and negative influences on the art world. With the change in the economy, inflation and supply shortages caused widespread poverty, and the Socialist system's support of the arts collapsed. But it also meant the beginning of the revival of Buddhism, and freedom for artists to express themselves without restrictions on subject matter or style. (photos 12, 13, and 14)

Click photo to enlarge 4. Portrait of Lenin, B. Sharav, 1924, gouache on cloth, Mongolian National Modern Art Gallery

Click photo to enlarge 5. The First Radio, D. Luvtsanjamts, 1956, oil on canvas, Mongolian National Modern Art Gallery

Click photo to enlarge 6. On the Mountain, O. Tsevegjav, 1957, oil on canvas, Mongolian National Modern Art Gallery

Click photo to enlarge 7. Detail from Our Collective Farm, Ts.Davaakhuu, 1979, gouache on cotton, Mongolian National Modern Art Gallery

Click photo to enlarge 8. The Nations, U. Yadamsuren and U. Lunya, 1969, appliquй, Mongolian National Modern Art Gallery

Click photo to enlarge 9. Evening, L. Bumandorj, 1988, oil on canvas, Union of Monoglian Artists

Click photo to enlarge 10. The Gobi, B. Chogsom, 1967, oil on canvas, Mongolian National Modern Art Gallery

Click photo to enlarge 11. The Mother's Love, O. Tsevegjav, 1968, 0-b, Mongolian National Modern Art Gallery

Click photo to enlarge 12. Last Prayers, Ch. Khurelbaatar, 1993, oil on canvas, Fukuoka Asian Art Museum

Click photo to enlarge 13. The Religious Dance-Tsam, s.tugs-Oyun, 1991, oil on canvas, Mongolian National Modern Art Gallery

Click photo to enlarge 14. Myth, Sarantsatsralt

Source: "The Development of Modern Mongolian Art", Yuko Yamaki, Modern Paintings of Mongolia: Its Origin up to Today, 2002.