Introduction of Inner Mongolia Prairie

location: located in the middle of the north of China, with an area of 1.183 million square kilometers, it is the third in the country with an east longitude of 97 12' to 126 4' and a north latitude of 37 34' to 53 23'. The altitude is more than 1 meters, and there are many grasslands (6 grasslands) and lakes (more than 1).

Climate: Inner Mongolia has a semi-dry and mid-temperate monsoon climate, with a semi-humid zone in the east and a semi-arid zone in the west. The main feature is the large temperature difference between day and night, which can generally reach about 1 degrees, so you should bring more clothes when traveling here. Disastrous weather in Inner Mongolia includes spring drought and winter snowstorm

Inner Mongolia can be divided into two climatic zones from east to west:

Grassland climatic zone, from Hulunbeier grassland at the eastern end to Yinshan Hetao Plain, with ice and snow in winter, lasting for half a year, and the average temperature is about MINUS 28 C. Summer, spring and autumn are almost connected, and the climate is mild from May to September, which is the best season for tourism grassland.

in desert climate area, from Alashan desert plateau to Badain Jaran desert to the west of Yinshan Mountain, there are many storms in spring (from mid-April to the end of May), and the summer is extremely hot and the winter is extremely cold.

The best time to travel is autumn (from mid-August to the end of September, about 4 days), which is the best season to set foot in the desert.

area: 1.183 million square kilometers, accounting for 12.3% of the national territory.

population: 23.62 million (end of 1999), accounting for 1.88% of the total population in China.

Ethnic groups: At present, there are 49 ethnic groups in Inner Mongolia, mainly Mongolian and Han, as well as Korean, Hui, Manchu, Daur, Ewenki and Oroqen.

administrative divisions: inner Mongolia autonomous region is the first provincial autonomous region in China to implement regional ethnic autonomy. The whole region now has four provincial cities: Hohhot, Baotou, Wuhai and Chifeng. Hulunbeier, Xing 'an, Zhelimu, Xilingol, Wulanchabu, Yikezhao, Bayannaoer and Alashan; There are 16 county-level cities, 17 counties and 52 flags, including three national autonomous flags of Oroqen, Ewenki and Molidawa Daur.

Overview: Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region borders Mongolia and Russia in the north and eight provinces in China, including Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Ningxia and Gansu. Its map is shaped like a fox with its head held high. There are many grasslands in the territory, including Hulunbeier Grassland, Xilingol Grassland and Wulanchabu Grassland, and it is one of the largest natural pastures in China. The west is the vast Gobi desert area with yellow sand, and the camel shadow on the plateau is in harmony with the green grass color of the grassland.

landscape: Hohhot, Baotou, Wuhai, Chifeng, Jining, Xilinhot, Tongliao, Hailar and Erenhot.

Hohhot

Hulunbeier League

Erdos

Wulanchabu League

Hailar

Wuhai

Alashan League

Chifeng

Baotou

Xilingol League

Xing 'an League

. There are thousands of lakes in China. On the vast and flat Mongolian plateau, there are no deep ditches, mounds and other landforms on the Loess Plateau. Except Daxinganling and Daqingshan Mountains, most of them are gentle Yuan Ye.

In the southern part of the Daqingshan Mountains, the Yellow River flows from Ningxia to the north through the fault subsidence zone next to the Ordos Plateau, forming the front cover and the back cover of the Yellow River, providing a large granary for Inner Mongolia. Therefore, two plains, the back cover plain and the front cover plain (also known as Tumochuan Plain) are added to the Inner Mongolia Plateau.

"The sky is grey, the fields are vast, and the wind blows grass and cattle and sheep are low" is a true portrayal of Inner Mongolia prairie. The famous hulun buir grassland, with endless green waves and breezes, is dotted with flocks of sheep, and the grassland scenery is extremely beautiful and refreshing.

aviation: there are 18 routes and 2 international routes from Hohhot to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Ulaanbaatar and Hailar.

Railways: At present, there are 19 state-owned railway trunk lines, 12 branch lines and 5 local railways, and there are trains running with dozens of cities such as Beijing, Xi 'an, Hailar, Lanzhou and Yinchuan.

Highway: The advanced Hubao Expressway has been completed and used, and highways have been connected to all counties. Many agricultural and pastoral areas and border areas that have been closed for generations have also built highways, and six passenger bus routes have been opened to traffic with Mongolia and Russian border provinces.

urban transportation: there are nearly 2 bus lines around the urban area, which lead to all parts of the urban area. At the railway station, there is bus No.1 leading to the old city and bus No.7 leading to the new city. There are thousands of taxis all over the city, which serve day and night.

In addition to many air routes, there are eight land routes to choose from when traveling to Inner Mongolia:

First, enter Mongolia along the Binzhou Railway in Heilongjiang (from Harbin to Manzhouli) and go straight to Hailar, with a total distance of more than 74 kilometers and a 15-hour drive; Or take the "Grassland Train" from Beijing, along Chifeng, Tongliao < P > and Qiqihar, passing through several Inner Mongolia grassland areas and Zhalantun, and reaching Hailar directly.

second, take Jilin Changbai railway, transfer to Bai' a railway through Baicheng, and stop at the new tourist spot in Aershan, Inner Mongolia. The whole journey is more than 67 kilometers, and the journey takes about 16 hours.

thirdly, along the Beijing-Qinhuangdao railway, it takes more than 49 kilometers to transfer from Jinzhou to Xilin Gol grassland in Inner Mongolia, which can be reached in one day.

fourthly, from Beijing along beijing-baotou railway to Zhangjiakou, the bus will enter Mongolia by transit road. The first journey is more than 2 kilometers by railway, and the second journey is more than 7 kilometers by road, reaching Khannaoer grassland.

Fifth, it starts from Datong, Shanxi, enters Mongolia along beijing-baotou railway, and reaches Hohhot. The whole journey is more than 28 kilometers, and the journey takes about five hours.

Sixth, from beijing-baotou railway to Mongolia, transfer to Baotou to Wuliangsuhai and visit the Hetao Plain; In addition, you can also go from Baotou to Genghis Khan Cemetery.

Seventh, go west from Yinchuan, enter Mongolia via Helan Mountain, and enter Alashan Desert.

Eighth, from Jiuquan in Gansu to Ejina Banner, you can see the wonders of sand dunes in Badain Jilin. The whole journey is more than 39 kilometers, which can be reached in one day.

Hotels and restaurants in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region are developing rapidly, with star-rated hotels, foreign-related hotels, hotels of various grades and so on built in major cities. Traveling on the grassland can also live in yurts close to herders.

In recent years, the tourism infrastructure and tourist reception conditions in Inner Mongolia have improved significantly. At present, there are nearly 1 foreign-related hotels, including dozens of star-rated hotels, including 3 three-star hotels and 8 two-star hotels; There are also dozens of domestic tourist designated hotels, which can meet the needs of many tourists at different levels.

When traveling to a relatively remote place, you can also choose to stay in a herdsman's home. The herdsman is simple in folk customs, generous and hospitable, and will certainly be warmly entertained. Of course, you'd better send some souvenirs and so on to show your friendship and gratitude.

The dining in Inner Mongolia is full of game and unique in flavor. It is very convenient to eat here. You can not only taste dishes with both North and South flavors inside and outside the city, but also munch on grassland game.

Inner Mongolia prairie is rich in game, roe deer meat, pheasant, wild vegetables, wild mushrooms and other delicacies, with rich flavors and varieties, so you can choose from them.

Among them, there are roast whole sheep, grilled meat, roast leg of lamb, milk skin, milk tofu, koumiss wine and Zhaojun wine. Among them, grilled meat and roasted whole sheep are the best. Its taste is unique and mouth-watering. Tasting delicious food and tasting koumiss at the same time is really more enjoyable than a fairy.

specialty

roast leg of lamb

roast leg of lamb is a famous dish for Hulunbei to entertain guests. Roast leg of lamb evolved from roast whole sheep. According to legend, hunting and nomadic peoples living on the vast land in northern China often bake whole prey and eat whole sheep by bonfires. People gradually found that the best part of the whole sheep is the hind leg of the sheep, so they often cut off the hind leg of the sheep and bake it. Roasting sheep's hind legs alone is not only faster than roasting whole sheep, but also more delicious and convenient to eat. Roasting sheep's legs gradually replaced roasting whole sheep. After a long period of development, various ingredients and condiments were gradually added in the roast process of lamb leg, which made it integrate shape, color, taste and freshness, beautiful in color, fragrant in meat, tender in interior, dry and crisp but not greasy, and was praised as "the smell is already fragrant without seeing it".

milk tea

is a daily drink unique to Mongolians, and its unique fragrance permeates Mongolian yurts all the year round. Milk tea is boiled with brick tea and milk, and a little salt is added after boiling. When eating, it is usually accompanied by pasta such as cakes.

Braised pork

Braised pork is a traditional food of nomadic people in Hulunbeier grassland for thousands of years, and it is also the most commonly used and favorite food of grassland herders. Hand-held meat generally refers to mutton, which is eaten in a unique way. Instead of chopsticks, you grab food with your hands.

To visit the grassland, besides riding horses and whipping, it is even more essential to taste hand-grilled mutton. In people's minds, only in this way can we truly visit the grassland, and there is no vain trip.

Handmade meat

Handmade meat has been a traditional food for thousands of years for nomadic and hunting nationalities such as Mongolia, Ewenki, Daur and Oroqen in Hulunbeier grassland. That is, eating meat with your hands. The meat of sheep, cattle, horses, camels and other livestock and wild animals can be cooked with hand-held meat, but the hand-held meat usually refers to mutton.

Handmade meat is the most commonly used and favorite meal for grassland herders, and it is also an essential food for them to entertain guests. It seems that such a concept has been formed all the year round, that is, if you don't eat a hand-made meat when you go sightseeing in the grassland, even if you don't fully appreciate the flavor and interest of grassland food customs, it is a waste of time. Herdsmen can't fully express their feelings without entertaining guests with meat. Therefore, it has become a rule to treat distant guests with mutton by hand in Hulunbeier area.

instant-boiled mutton

, also known as "hotpot", is a popular meat-eating method in Hulunbeier. Because Hulunbeier grassland has no chemical pollution, abundant water plants and large temperature difference, the sheep meat produced is fresh, tender and tasteless, and it is the first-class raw material for washing pots. In the sixties and seventies, the "Donglaishun" hot pot restaurant in Beijing specially bought sheep from Humeng to publicize its reputation. Nowadays, almost all hotels and restaurants in Hohhot operate instant-boiled mutton projects. There are many kinds of hot pots for washing pots, including copper, iron, stainless steel and porcelain. There are two kinds of fuels: multi-person use and single use, and there are several kinds of fuels, such as charcoal, liquefied gas, alcohol and electricity.

whole sheep mat

whole sheep mat is an extremely valuable and famous dish in Hulunbeier area to entertain distinguished guests, pay homage to them and hold grand festivals and banquets. Color, fragrance, taste, shape and unique flavor, Xuan Banquet is named after the whole sheep. Generally, a whole fat sheep of about two years old is selected.

In 1991, the Nadam Congress of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region decided that July 15th-August 15th would be the Grassland Tourism Festival every year.

Every year in July and August, the Inner Mongolia prairie is always immersed in the love of flowers and green grass, and the Nadam Festival has become the most important festival here. At this time, thousands of Mongolian herders, dressed in festive costumes, have traveled a long way and gathered on the green grassland, which used to be quiet, showing a prosperous scene.

The "Nadam Convention" has a history of more than 2, years. As early as ancient times, Mongolian ancestors lived in this area, and wrestling, archery and horse racing have long been one of the main contents of the Nadam Convention. Now, in addition to the traditional three events, the "Nadam Conference" also includes equestrian, rifle shooting, judo, motorcycle show, Mongolian chess and other events.

In addition to going to the temple to attend the meeting and worship the Buddha, the Mongolians also hold the "Peace Classics Meeting" in spring and autumn. The scale of this "chanting meeting" depends on the economic situation of the host family, and this custom continued into modern times.

The Mongolians in Tumo area also have the custom of "offering sacrifices to Aobao". "Aobao" is a sign of the territory, some use natural objects protruding from the ground, while others are artificial earth bags, stone bags and firewood bags. People put the food they sacrificed in front of Aobao and knelt down together, wishing: "the nation is prosperous, the territory is stable, people and animals are prosperous, and peace will be maintained forever." After the sacrifice, they share the sacrifices, and some even sing and entertain.

Mongolian manners and customs

If you love animals, cars and pedestrians should take a detour and don't pass through the animals, otherwise it will be regarded as disrespect for the owners.

a guest

a guest who takes a bus to a herdsman's house should see if there is a horse tied to the Lele car near the yurt, and don't rush in, lest the horse break the reins and run away. Enter the package from the left side of the stove, sit on the west and north sides of the yurt, and the east side is the host's living room. Try not to sit. When sitting, do not block the Buddha statue hanging on Hana in the north. You can sit on the floor after entering the bag without taking off your shoes. Don't sit on the threshold.

offering tea

When you visit a herdsman's house, the host will first offer the guests a bowl of milk tea. Guests should get up slightly and pick it up with their hands or right hand. Never pick it up with their left hand, otherwise it will be considered impolite. When the host pours tea, if the guest doesn't want tea, please gently touch the spoon or spout with the edge of the bowl, and the host will immediately understand the guest's intention.

Toast

Offering wine to honor guests is a traditional way for Mongolian people to entertain guests, and it is an expression of the respect and love of the guests in grassland herders. Usually, the host pours the wine into a silver bowl, a gold cup or a horn cup, rests it on a long hada and sings a touching traditional Mongolian toast song. If the guests push and pull and don't drink, it will be considered as contempt for the host. Guests should immediately catch the wine, dip their ring fingers in the wine and point it in the direction of heaven, earth and stove to show their respect for heaven, earth and Vulcan. You don't have to be reluctant to drink, but you can touch your lips to show that you have accepted the pure friendship of your master.

offering hada

hada is an indispensable item in Mongolian daily salute. Offering Hada is a courtesy used by Mongolian herdsmen in welcoming guests and daily communication. When offering Hada, the host holds Hada with open hands, sings auspicious greetings or praises, and exaggerates the atmosphere of respect, and at the same time turns Hada's folding mouth towards the guests who accept Hada. Guests should stand up and face the Hada giver, and concentrate on listening to the toast and accepting the toast. When accepting Hada, guests should bow slightly forward and let the Hada giver hang Hada around their necks. Guests should put their hands together on their chests to express their thanks to the people who offered Hada.

show respect for the elderly and show kindness to the young

When you visit a herdsman's house, you must be regarded as "you" when you meet the elderly. Don't pass in front of the old man, don't sit in his upper position, and don't sit side by side with the old man without permission. Don't scold or drive a child. Don't count your child's physical defects in front of your family.

others

should bring appropriate gifts, such as wine, sugar, snacks, etc., when visiting herdsmen's homes. You can only reprimand, not beat, the barking shepherd dog. To relieve yourself, you must go far to the south of the yurt, but not to the east, west (with sheepfolds) and north (the smell will be blown into the bag with the wind). Don't trample on the north and west sides of Baobei in winter, because the snow there is eaten by water. You must say goodbye and thank you when you leave your host's house.