Inner Mongolia Cultural Relics Bureau: Genghis Khan did visit the Arzhai Grottoes

Hohhot, July 31 (China News Network) -- There has been a lot of controversy in academic circles about whether Genghis Khan visited the Alzhai Grottoes in Ordos. The Cultural Relics Bureau of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region informed the outside world on the 31st that recently archaeological experts determined that Genghis Khan had indeed visited the Arzhai Grottoes in Ordos.

The Alzhai Grottoes, located in Albas Sumu, Otoke Banner, Ordos City, Inner Mongolia, are a key cultural relics protection unit in China. The cave mural belongs to Tibetan Buddhism, has the content of the Bon and Red Nyingma sects, and the eight-petal lotus flower pattern in the square grid carved on the top of the cave is a popular ornament and mural content of the Western Xia Grotto Temple.

Recently, the Inner Mongolia Cultural Relics Bureau conducted a comprehensive inspection of the grottoes during the inspection of the "Grassland Silk Road", and experts believe that Genghis Khan and his army did visit the Arzhai Grottoes.

According to the official cultural relics bureau of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, archaeologists have investigated the Arzhai Grottoes and the surrounding areas, combined with the interpretation and analysis of the "Secret History of Mongolia" and "The Feast of the Wise Men", and deduced that Genghis Khan was injured by hunting during the last (that is, the 6th) expedition to Western Xia, and had been recuperating, praying, making wishes and recovering in the Alzhai Grottoes.

In the past, there was much debate in the academic circles about Genghis Khan's march to western Xia, and some scholars believed that Genghis Khan did not go to Ordos.

The Inner Mongolia Cultural Relics Bureau officially said that through the investigation of the Alzhai Grottoes and surrounding areas, many physical evidence was found comprehensively, which can prove that Genghis Khan's army visited here.

The information reported by the Cultural Relics Bureau shows that the Arzhai Grottoes are the site of important activities in Genghis Khan's life of war, which has both place names to examine and classical documents, which is of great significance. (End)