Ulaanbaatar
Symbol of Peace and Eternity, the Nine White Banners
Video
Today is the great occasion of the 856th anniversary of the birth of Chinggis Khaan as well as the National Pride day.
Based on the conclusion of the special task working group and the standpoint of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences, a Presidential decree was made on January 9th of 2012, officially declaring the day Chinggis Khaan was born to be on the first day of the first winter month by the Lunar calendar. /As the day is by the Lunar calendar, it is celebrated on different days each year/
This is the 7th year that the country is celebrating National Pride day as a national holiday.
On this day, the statue of Chinggis Khaan will be paid respects and a high-rank wrestling tournament will take place alongside the traditional ceremony for the Nine White Banners.
The symbol of great power as well as independence and unity for the Mongolian state—the Nine White Banners has a three-pronged gold coated fork on top, symbolizing the flame. From the circular plate below it, batches of white horse hair are hanged by tying it with thinly cut goatskin to the plate’s 81 holes. While the main body of the white banner symbolizes Peace, the top part symbolizes Eternity.
As the batches of horse hair are white, the white banners were named as such. The placement of the Nine White Banners has the one big white banner placed in the center with the 8 smaller banners around it.
Under the rule of a sole leader, when Mongolians enthroned Chinggis Khaan as the King of the Great Mongolian Empire, they raised their Nine White Banners and had the great king pay respects. And ever since that time, the White banners have been placed in the state palace to symbolize the Mongolian state in a perpetual state of prosperity and its people living peacefully. Currently, the Nine White Banners are kept at the State house, to only be brought out for big holidays.
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