GER of Mongolia

INTRODUCTION -- To the Program "China: The Outer Limits"

By Marie Viola, Education Consultant

What might one experience on a trip so titled, sponsored by the American Forum for Global Education? In the sunny afternoon of Independence Day 2003, a group of New York educators boarded a plane to discover the answer. Their itinerary included Mongolia, Tibet and Western China.

For far too many Westerners, Mongolia means Chenghis (Genghis) Khan. Tibet equates to Dalai Lama, and China's sizable Muslim population comes as a complete surprise. However, the five-weekend, pre-departure sessions beginning in February, 2003 and the group's myriad of experiences dispelled any such simplistic notions. The pre-departure sessions included lectures by noted academics and extensive readings. Among the readings were full-length works such as The Snow Lion and the Dragon, Oasis Identity, Familiar Strangers, Between Mecca and Beijing, and The Land and People of China. Articles and essays came from periodical and journals, including Far Eastern Review, Time Asia, Christian Science Monitor, New York Times and Atlantic Monthly.

Upon arriving in Mongolia the teachers spent a few days at a ger camp on Lake Khuvsgol where they spoke with a shaman and observed a ritual of shamanism. A visit to Khara Khorum, the ancient capital of the Mongolian Empire and to the Naadam Festival (the Mongolian National Festival which includes horse racing, archery and wrestling contests) gave the group an opportunity to "visit" Mongolia of the past. The teachers also traveled to the camps of reindeer, horse and yak herding families where they interviewed family members to learn of their culture and life-style.

Leaving Mongolia the teachers proceeded to western China with stops in Xi'an at the on-site excavation museum of Terra Cotta Warriors, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and the ancient Confucian Temple which is presently a museum with famous carved stone tablets in a "Forest of Steles".

The sites in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region included Urumqi, the region's capital, the scenic Heavenly Lake, the Thousand Buddha Cave and the Sunday Bazaar at Kashgar where one can buy just about anything including a camel!

From western China, the group journeyed to "the roof of the world" - Lhasa, Tibet. There the teachers toured the Potala Palace (former home of the Dalai Lama), Norbullingka (the summer palace), the Bokkar market and Jokhang Temple. Leaving Lhasa the group crossed mountain passes of 17,000 feet, passing clear mountain lakes and glaciers to the ancient fortified town of Gyangze. There they visited the Pakhor Monastery and Kumbum Stupa. The group continued to Xigaze to visit the Tashilumpo Monastery.

The trip concluded in Shanghai with a visit to the magnificent Shanghai Museum and the Pudong area.

Once home the teachers produced lessons that were as varied as their experiences. The lessons are appropriate for social studies, English and art classes. Some of the lessons are interdisciplinary in design and content. Topics of the lessons include: hopes and Challenges of Mongolian Women; The Question of Gender balance in Mongolian Education; A Cast Study of a Nation in Economic Transition; The Environment and the Times in the Mongolian Conquest; Folktales and Legends, A Day in the Life of a Mongolian Nomad; The Values of a Society as Reflected in Tibetan Art; The Spread of Islam to China; The Tibet Question and Muslims in Xinjiang. Some of the lessons examine more than one area or country such as Taking a Tour Through China and Tibet; Studies of Tibetan and Mongolian Buddhist Paintings and Masks. Other lessons are generic: The development and Use of Paper Money. These Lessons and other follow this narrative.

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