This Great Khaan is the mightiest man, whether in respects of subjects or of territory or of treasure.
The government of Mongolia passed a resolution and set up a working group to lead the events and celebrations making the 800th birth anniversary of Khubilai the ‘Wise’. The anniversary was solemnly observed in September.
Khubilai was the fifth Khaan of the Mongolian Empire, built by his grandfather, the legendary Chinggis Khaan. Khubilai Khaan, born in 1215, was a brilliant statesman, an outstanding military commander, an economic reformer.
Opening of the jubilee anniversary
The official opening of the anniversary was held at the central Chinggis Square in the Mongolian capital on 15 September. S. Bayartsogt, Chief Cabinet Secretary and Chairman of the Anniversary Celebration Working Group, opened the anniversary celebrations. More than 200 performing artistes from the key professional performing troupes such as the National Folk Song and Dance Ensemble, the “Ulaanbaatar” Ensemble, the State Philharmonic Society, the All-Army Song and Dance Company and the Border Troop Song and Dance Ensemble performed during the opening ceremony. The mass art and culture show on the square was directed by M. Ganbold, the Chief Director of the National Folk Song and Dance Ensemble. On the same day, representatives of Mongolian political, social and science personalities, led by Prime Minister Ch. Saikhanbileg paid tribute to the statues of Chinggis, Ogedei and Khubilai Khaan on the central square.
promoter of culture and science. He built the Yuan Empire in China. The Mongolian Empire reached the height of its development and the territory expanded immensely named under Khubilai Khaan’s rule.
Marco Polo, the Venetian traveller, who spent years in Khubilai Khaan’s court had rightly described him as the “mightiest man, whether in respects of subjects, or of territory or of treasure.”
The heritage of Khubilai the Wise exhibition
An exhibition under this theme was opened at the National Museum of History with more than 300 rare historical, archaeological and anthropological artifacts and exhibits relating to the 13th-14th century history of Mongolia and kept at all the major museums of the country, displayed. Extraordinary relics belonging to the period of the Yuan Empire, found and excavated in recent years from graves of royal khaans and princes on the territory of Mongolia by archaeologists, were on display for the the first time. One of the most interesting relics on display at the exhibition were the clothes and equipment appertaining to the period of Khubilai Khaan and depicted on the ancient painting called “Khubilai Khaan during a a game hunting.”
Commemorative postal stamps released
Commemorative first day covers were released by the Mongol Post company to coincide with the 800th birth anniversary of Khubilai Khaan. 25 thousand serial stamps and 14 thousand miniature sheets depicting the history of the great Khan with a denomination of MNT300 to 2000 were released. The stamps were designed by Ts. Tsengel and J. Gankhuyag who have depicted the vast empire founded by Khubilai Khan, specimen of the paper money the great Khan had introduced, the golden gerege or a kind of diplomatic passport dating from the 13th-14th century made on a metal tablet, golden cup and firearms used in those days. Mongolia first issued postage stamps in 1924 and to date 998 postage stamps were printed and released. The latest commemorative stamp on Khubilai Khaan is the 999th stamp released in the country.
Khubilai Khaan and Kamikaze
At an earlier event commemorating the jubilee, a book and a documentary “Khubilai Khaan and Kamikaze” (image right) were released. They highlight travel tale of a team of Mongolian documentary makers who followed in the trails of the Great Khan’s failed attempt to invade Japan via the sea.
Within the framework of the 800th birth anniversary celebrations of Khubilai Khaan, books on the great Mongolian Emperor were launched. One of them called “Khubilai Khaan’s words to the Mongkhe Tenggri” (Eternal Blue Sky) is by historian, Prof. J. Bayasakh. Another 10-volume book and catalogue containing biographies of Chinggis and Khubilai Khaan by such well-known foreign historians as James Boyle, Sugiyama Masaaki, Morris Rossabi, as well as outstanding Mongolian historians such as Sh. Natsagdorj, Ch. Dalai, D. Tomortogoo were released by the Institute of History andÂÂÂ Archaeology of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences. As part of the celebrations, an international contest of Khoomii (overtone) singers, international scientific conferences etc were also organized.