China now has a Mongolian population of 4,800,000. Most of them live in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and the rest are scattered in northeast and northwest China. The Mongolians have their own spoken and written language. Excelling in horse riding and archery, they are nowadays mainly engaged in animal husbandry and arable farming. In the past, Mongolian scholars wrote a great number of classic books on history, literature, language, medicine, astronomy and geography, which have made significant contributions to China.

The Inner Mongolia prairie resembles a huge green carpet covering the vast areas of north China. The prairie is so wide, the sky so blue, the cattle so healthy and the songs so beautiful-all these form a brave and vigorous nationality,
Mongolians.

The Mongolian's life starts in their yurts. The construction of the yurt is assimple as their life : first , the family find a suitable place in the prairie;then they make the round frame of the yurt with "hana" and "wuni," the twigs and branches of willow trees; and finally they cover it with woolen blankets whichare reinforced by woolen strings. The finished product is a comfortable Mongolian yurt.

The Mongolian's diet mainly includes mutton, beef and cheese. Shoubarou, boiled mutton eaten with fingers, is a favorite meal to entertain guests. It is made simply by boiling without any sauce or salt for 15 minutes. When they come to eat, the Mongolians add salt then. The breast and tail of the sheep or lamb is always offered as a special treat to distinguished guests. They always drink wine and sing songs to entertain guests while they eat.

The Mongolians, no matter their age and sex, wear long robes which are traditional and highly suitable for their lifestyle and climate. In winter they wear heavy robes made of sheep's skin. They wear them as protection against harsh weather during the day, and use them as quilts during the night. In summer, they change into robes made of cotton and silk. In a wide variety of colors, Mongolian robes are long and wide with long sleeves and high collars.

The Mongolians have a great tradition of music and dance. Their folk songs, describing feelings and events , are known for their high pitched lovely melody,and free rhythms and beat. Typical of these songs are: "The song of The Prairi
e," " Mother's Love" and "Gadameilinh." The dynamic and graceful dances of Mongolian girls portray the nomadic life of the grassland .Typical of these are well known dances such as, "Dance on Horseback,"" Lantern Dance, and "Wedding Dance of Oreduaosi."One of the folk instrument is made in the shape of a horse head. It is called "Matouqin" and is usually played by men. The sweet sounds they make remind usthey have a softer side to their personality in addition to their strength and bravery.

Mongolian women adorn themselves with jewelry and head dresses. Their hats and ornaments are meticulously inlaid with silver or decorated with pearls and diamonds and give an impressing of elegance and poise.

Jiangar, a masterpiece of Mongolian oral literature, gives an account of the hero Jiangar fighting bravely against his enemies. The epic reflects the history of Mongolian nationality and the social life of the Mongolian tribes prior to modern times. Mongolian Jiangar, Tibetan Gesar, and Kirghiz Manass are famed as the three greatest epics of China.

Fine horses are said to be the eyes of the Mongolian prairie and they symbolize the spirit of Mongolian people. The most spectacular event on the grassland is the Nadamu Games held each year in August. The Games are an important occasion for the Mongolian men to exhibit their ability and skills in archery, wrestling and horse racing.

Wrestling is a prime sport at the Games. Wearing tight vests, loose trousers and boots, hundreds of wrestlers come not only to compete for the championship, a life long honor, but also to help in the development of their courage, temperament and spirit. Originating at the beginning of 13th century, the Nadamu celebration has become more enjoyable and useful by incorporating songª²andª²dance performances.

The glory of Kublai Khan, one of the greatest emperors in Chinese history, provides a lasting testimony to the Inner Mongolian people. Kublai khan led the Mongolians to expand his territory opening exchange routes between the East and West in the 13th century. As an outstanding figure in Chinese history, Kublai Khan is a source of pride both to the Mongolians and all the other nationalities in China. Numerous admirers come to pay their respects at his grave and to recall the splendid history of his day.

Nowadays, 90 percent of the Mongolians have made their farewells to their nomadic hunting life and settled down in Mongolian communities. As a result, the economic structure of Inner Mongolian has changed tremendously.

The economy of Inner Mongolia is characterized by wood in the east, iron in the west, arable farming in the south, and animal husbandry in the north. As one ofthe five leading pasturelands in China, Inner Mongolia provides large quantities of meat, cattle, leather, wool and fresh milk. Buried under its soils, more than 70 kinds of mineral resources and 2000 million tons of coal have been discovered.

Inner Mongolia now has a modern economy dominated by its metallurgy, coal, and textiles. The Mongolians are making their new contributions to the civilization of mankind and moving forward to the 21 century.