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Population - 6200.
The Mongolians, led by Genghis Khan and later by Kublai, established the largest world-empire in history. Their brutal military campaigns won them land stretching from south-east Asia all the way to Europe, until their advance was finally halted at the banks of the Danube River. As the Mongolians raped and plundered without mercy wherever they went, the terrorized Europeans gave them the name "Tatar," meaning "People from hell." (Tartaus)
The Mongolian Empire gained control of the southwest area of China in 1252 AD when they overthrew the ancient Nanzhao Kingdom in Dali, resulting in seven administrators being sent to Yunnan in 1255 to rule over the province. For 130 years the Mongols ruled the people of the region, exacting taxes and tribute yearly which was sent north to fill the coffers of the Khan dynasty.
In 1385 the Mongol rule ended as abruptly as it had begun. As the Empire faded and crumbled, the descendants of those original seven families remained in Yunnan, unwilling to make the colossal journey back to their homeland, which in those days took over as long as two years of constant traveling through inhospitable regions. Now, over 600 years later, the Mongolians of Tonghai County in Yunnan have grown to a village of more than 6,000 people. They deliberately keep separate from the surrounding people, and refuse to permit their young people to intermarry with the local Chinese or any of the other minorities in the area. Because of this, they have maintained their own ethnic identity. Over the centuries their language has evolved to the point that it is completely unintelligible with standard Mongolian.
The people of this one village on the shores of the Jihulu Lake speak a unique language which can't be found any other place in the world!
As China started to open up in the 1980's the Mongol village elders sent a delegation by train to Inner Mongolia to discover what their culture should be like. They then adopted similar clothing to the Mongols in the north. Wrestling immediately became their favorite sport when they found out how popular it was with other Mongolians.
Several years a Mongolian Christian from northern China visited the Tonghai County Mongolian village. He attempted to share the Gospel but was given a cold reception by the locals, who are eager to preserve Mongolian traditions that they have neglected for centuries, and shun any efforts from outsiders to change the status quo of their society. This opposition to change includes Christianity, which the Mongolians view as a "foreign religion." There are no Christians amongst the Mongols around Jihulu Lake. The inhabitants of the large village are a Buddhist-Taoist mix, while some Mongols are Muslims, having been affected by the neighboring Hui Muslim community which lies on the track between the main road and the entrance to the village.
original on the http://www.antioch.com.sg/mission/asianmo/china/mongolyu.html Last updated: 25JUN99
