| |
|
Mongolian Book & Music Review
by MongoliaExpat.com
John Man "Genghis Khan"
Subtitled "Life, Death & Resurrection" this is a definitive work not just of the life of Mongolia's most famous son but a man who China regard also as one of their own, and the founder of the Yuan Dynasty, for Genghis was also a Chinese Emperor. Detailing the young Genghis early years in poverty, the making of him as a man, and exploring not just how he managed to develop an empire that at it's zenith stretched from Korea to Poland, but also delving into personal issues such as his relationship with religions, the respect he had for linguists (hard to dominate such a huge area without language skills, and the Mongolians were adept) this is an engrossing read and astonishing in how much it reveals the heart of what made him tick. With gory details of what became of those who opposed him, to maps showing accounts of his battles and conquests (I was in Qingdao when I read about his victory over the Han there!) the sheer breadth of Genghis's achievements becomes quite apparent and strangely, unites China in a manner not usually recognised. Finishing with a search for his grave and likely spots that it may be located, and illustrated with some 40 odd photos, this is a well researched, thrilling and fascinating account of one man's exploits that changed the way we all approach China today.
Music: "Voices From The Distant Steppes" - Shu De
Recorded in Tuva, a far off North-Western corner of Mongolia, "Voices Of The Distant Steppes" captures the nearly lost art of Shamanic singing – rituals here are sung for everything for happy marriages to fat sheep as well as ancient cures. “Throat Singing” – a way of compressing the larynx in order to produce sounds not unlike those of Tibetan singing bowls, and gruff drones reminiscent of Indian ragas, are all sung, and interwoven with chanting and drums. Spiritual, ancient, and no doubt wonderfully evocative heard while sitting around an evenings camp fire, you’re not going to hear this down on your local bar juke box, but for an ambient setting at home and with some open ears, maybe those shamans can help chill you out. Released on Peter Gabriels “Realworld” label, there is a helpful search function and audio tracks you can download if you want to try some Mongolian shamanism at: www.realworldrecords.com.
|
|
|
