Why Does Vast and Endless Inner Mongolia Hold "Half of China" Within Its Borders?
When we talk about Inner Mongolia, what do we talk about? Grasslands? Herders? Yurts? In fact, you have never truly known the Inner Mongolia that "hides half of China."
At the same time every early morning, the eastern sun dries the dew on the pine needles of the Greater Khingan Mountains, while the western Alxa Desert remains under a sky full of stars above the poplar forests.
The convergence of the Ergun River, Gen River, and Derbur River forms wetlands.
Spanning nearly half of China's east-west straight-line distance, Inner Mongolia encompasses the country's vastest forests, largest sandy areas, and most dense volcanic zones—far more than just grasslands.
Strange peaks and valleys shaped by millions of years of wind and rain erosion.
Tengger, who looks like the portrait of Kublai Khan, is naturally from Inner Mongolia; the creator of the "Tongliao Universe," Little John Khaan, who commentates with a Northeast accent, is also from Inner Mongolia, not the three northeastern provinces; and Jia Guolong, the餐饮老板 who dominates elevator ads with a handful of oats and persuades you in "Shanxi dialect" to eat oat noodles, is not from Shanxi but still from Inner Mongolia. The 24 million people of Inner Mongolia seem to embody the entire northern customs and traditions.
She hides the other half of Chinese history; she supports the Chinese people's衣食住行 with "sheep, coal, rare earths, and natural gas"; she holds China's green future... Crossing this 2,400-kilometer "Backbone of China," you understand half of China.
"Three Inner Mongolias" hide half of China!
If the outline of China's map is a rooster, then Inner Mongolia, spanning nearly half of China with a straight-line distance of 2,400 kilometers from east to west, is the backbone of the rooster.
Daqing Mountain National Forest Park in the middle section of the Yin Mountains.
This backbone is formed by the silent and vast Greater Khingan Mountains, the Yin Mountains that gave rise to countless horse-riding ethnic groups, the Helan Mountains synonymous with borderlands, and the Yellow River, the mother river of Chinese civilization. Without this backbone, what would China be like?
Horizontal landscape belt of the Inner Mongolia Plateau.
Northeast China would become a bitterly cold land like Siberia, North China would become even drier, and the Yellow River's flow would change. These mountains block the cold winds from the Mongolian Plateau in winter and retain moisture from the ocean in summer. They demarcate the monsoon from the non-monsoon regions, semi-arid from arid areas, thus distinguishing ancient China, which relied on spring planting and autumn harvests, from the China that followed water and grass.
This Mars-like landscape is also located in Inner Mongolia.
This plateau, blessed by the summer monsoon's last touch, forms a narrow mixed farming-pastoral zone—the northernmost limit for农耕文明 and a rare lush pasture in the eyes of nomadic civilizations. This is the geographical foundation of Inner Mongolia.
In Hulunbuir, the Kherlen River flows into Hulun Lake.
However, this narrow belt is not uniform. From east to west, precipitation decreases, and the terrain becomes flatter, forming the Inner Mongolia of grasslands and mountains, the Inner Mongolia of "江南north of the Great Wall," and the Inner Mongolia of vast deserts. The "geomorphological museum" of Inner Mongolia is a microcosm of half of China's diverse nature.
The ruler of the grasslands is actually mountains?
A little-known fact: 40% of China's territory is grassland. But when it comes to grasslands, the first place that comes to mind is still Inner Mongolia. The grassland scenery is boundless, but the true master of eastern Inner Mongolia's nature is not the grassland but the silent Greater Khingan Mountains.
The first step to understanding Inner Mongolia is to delve into the Greater Khingan Mountains and understand the "most three-dimensional Inner Mongolia" behind them.
Hidden in the forests of Arxan in Hinggan League.
The Greater Khingan Range marks the starting point of China's dividing line, distinguishing between humid and arid regions, plains and plateaus, agriculture and pastoralism. It also serves as the backbone and water source of Northeast China—for instance, the primary source of the Heilongjiang River originates here. To its east lie vibrant broad-leaved forests, while to its west lies China's finest forest-grassland transition zone. Within the Greater Khingan Range, over 1,000 plant species and 400 wildlife species call it home.
Geological movements transformed what was once a coastline into a "growth mark" across Northeast China, with volcanoes scattered like acne across the landscape. Over time, the mountains eroded into gentle slopes, and the volcanoes eventually cooled. What remains are solitary crater lakes, year-round unfrozen rivers, rugged stone forests, and layered transitional forests.
The Dalinor Volcanic Cluster on the Xilingol Grassland.
Inner Mongolia possesses 30% of China's grasslands, hosting two of the country's four major grasslands. The evaporation rate on Inner Mongolia's grasslands is over six times the precipitation, yet rivers flowing from the Greater Khingan Range nourish both the Hulunbuir and Xilingol grasslands. In other words, the Greater Khingan Range is the mother of the grassland's mother river—we might call it the "Grandmother Mountain."
Meandering river bends create China's vastest grassland—the Hulunbuir Grassland—allowing it to escape the region's typical nine droughts per decade and become a symbol of lush water and grass. The Xilingol Grassland transitions from the humid meadows at the foothills of the Greater Khingan Range in the east to the arid Hunshandake Sandland in the west, with solitary volcanic cones scattered throughout, evoking a sense of vastness and solemn grandeur.
The Hunshandake Sandland in Xilingol
is a rare and excellent winter pasture.
To tourists, grassland may seem uniform, but Inner Mongolia's grasslands range from flower-filled meadow grasslands to lush typical grasslands, desert grasslands, and sandy lands—displaying a "multicolored green."
Inner Mongolia's grasslands possess a flatness and vastness unmatched by other grasslands in China, representing the essence of the Eurasian steppe and the cradle of grassland culture. It is this expansive environment—where only sky, grassland, and wind meet the eye—that shaped the formidable survival skills and ambitious spirits of ethnic groups like the Xiongnu, Donghu, Khitan, Jurchen, and Mongols.
Worshiping at ovoo (cairns) is a traditional activity of the Mongol people.
Mountains gather water sources, which nourish lush grasslands—thus, a far more diverse Inner Mongolia was born. The most multidimensional part of Inner Mongolia lies in its east, and the most multidimensional part of eastern Inner Mongolia is Chifeng.
It is far more than just the largest city in Inner Mongolia at the junction of three provinces. From the Xar Moron River, considered the mother river of northern ethnic minorities, to the Hongshan (Red Mountain) of Hongshan Culture, the Horqin Sandland revered by herders as a chosen winter pasture, and on to the Ulan Butong Grassland, Hexigten Stone Forest, and Dalinor Lake—mountains, rocks, water, grass, and sand converge in Chifeng, creating a microcosm of Inner Mongolia's natural landscapes.
The narrowest point of the Haolai River in Chifeng is only a few centimeters wide.
Why is a "land of abundance beyond the Great Wall" hidden between the Yin Mountains and the Yellow River?
Ulanqab connects to the most multidimensional eastern Inner Mongolia but is no longer known primarily for grasslands. Instead, it has gained fame for the well-preserved volcanic cones of Wulahada, becoming a popular destination for Beijing tourists as the "20th ring of Beijing." Ulanqab's western neighbor, however, defies aridity: sheltered by the Yin Mountains and the Yellow River, it rebelliously thrives as a "land of abundance beyond the Great Wall" in Inner Mongolia.
Crossing Laoniuwan takes you from Shanxi into Inner Mongolia.
South of the Yellow River lies the Mu Us Sandland, at the forefront of desert control. North of the Yin Mountains, one faces harsh winter winds, while west of the Helan Mountains stretches a vast sea of sand merging three major deserts. It is in such an environment that the Yellow River carved out an "agricultural miracle."
The Yellow River also deposits fertile farmland in Ordos.
Blocked by the Ordos Plateau, the Yellow River surges like a soaring dragon and turns northward. Then, encountering the Yin Mountains, it flows east along the flat plains at their foothills. Finally, it turns south again, carving out the rugged Jin-Shan Grand Canyon.
Thus, the Yellow River flows through the desert and loess in the "几" shape bend, and has deposited the North China Plain in its lower reaches, altering the destiny of northern China.
The Salawusu River meanders through the loess of Ordos.
The Yin Mountains transform the weakening summer monsoon into rainfall on its southern slopes; the Yellow River has carved out the fertile Hetao Plain, which also serves as a precious source for irrigation. Abundant precipitation and a mild climate have created this fertile land beyond the Great Wall, connecting settled cities such as Bayannur, Baotou, and Hohhot, forming a natural economic center.
Today, Baotou, the heavy industry center of Inner Mongolia, and Hohhot, the political, commercial, and cultural hub, are the most economically active and densely populated areas in the region. Although the permanent population of Inner Mongolia has declined, the population here continues to grow rapidly. Behind the "tale of two cities" in Inner Mongolia lies the Hetao Plain's immense population-carrying capacity and abundant resources.
Crossing the Helan Mountains, in the northwestern-style desert sands, lies the most treasured part of Inner Mongolia.
Why is the most treasured part of Inner Mongolia hidden in the desert sands?
Deserts constitute 13% of China's territory. When people think of deserts, Xinjiang might be the first place that comes to mind. In fact, four of China's eight major deserts are located in western Inner Mongolia. Moreover, these deserts are far from being lifeless; instead, they host lakes and even hold the potential to yield another World Natural Heritage site for China.
On the south bank of the Yellow River, Ordos City still features some desert grasslands, facing off against the desertified Mu Us Sandy Land. Beneath the desolate desert lies one-third of China's natural gas and one-sixth of its coal. These resources are the "sustenance" for China's role as the world's factory and infrastructure powerhouse.
Crossing the Yellow River and the Helan Mountains brings you to Alxa League, the westernmost part of Inner Mongolia. As the largest prefecture-level division in Inner Mongolia, its area exceeds the combined total of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai, yet its population is only 260,000. China's third-largest Badain Jaran Desert, the fourth-largest Tengger Desert, and the eighth-largest Ulan Buh Desert surround the mere 6% of habitable land.
The Ulan Buh Desert also hosts oasis agriculture.
However, the deserts of Alxa are far from monotonous. Here, you can find flat Gobi deserts dotted with dense shrubs, undulating yellow sand dunes, and even black Gobi landscapes.
Among the towering sand dunes of the Badain Jaran Desert, there are over 100 lakes of various sizes and colors. Around these lakes grow reeds, desert onions, desert dates, camel thorns, and other plants, which in turn provide food and shelter for wild donkeys, swans, and other rare wildlife. The Badain Jaran Desert is not a desolate no-man's-land but a fragile yet vibrant ecosystem.
This is not Peru, nor is it Qinghai.
This area was once pastureland for northern nomadic tribes throughout history and was also home to frontier strongholds like Juyan and Heishui City, now buried under endless sands. Today, Alxa's annual evaporation is 20 times its rainfall, making it the front line in preventing the merger of the three major deserts and a symbol of China's desert control efforts. Behind countless straw checkerboards and saxaul trees lies the collective effort of people like you and me, contributing energy to plant seedlings.
How to protect these treasures is a question that the people of Inner Mongolia must face together.
The lakes in the Badain Jaran Desert nurture a fragile ecosystem.
The Pallas's sandgrouse pauses at Juyan Lake.
"Northeasterners," "Shanxi people"... Inner Mongolia encapsulates northern Chinese.
The people of Inner Mongolia also represent half of China. Xilingol, located in the central part of Inner Mongolia, is a microcosm of this.
Here, some speak Jin Chinese, others speak Northeastern Mandarin, and still others have Beijing Mandarin as their native tongue. Behind this "Inner Mongolian-style mix" lies the grand history of different groups in northern China blending under the influence of nature, transportation, and history.
Horses have been partners of the Mongols in overcoming geographical barriers for centuries.
If a tourist from Manzhouli in the easternmost part of Inner Mongolia wants to take a train to Alxa in the westernmost part during the National Day holiday, the most reasonable choice is not to go—because there is no direct railway connecting the two, and a one-way trip alone takes 47 hours. A round trip would consume the entire holiday.
Transportation limitations have restricted exchanges between the eastern and western populations, amplifying differences to the extent of creating "two Inner Mongolias."
The Linha Railway: a lifeline in the desert.
Why is the coldest part of Northeast China hidden in Inner Mongolia?
If a Northeasterner impulsively decides to chase the distant horizon and takes an overnight train to Hulunbuir, they would be bewildered by the Northeastern dialect heard in streets and alleys and the aroma of dishes like Guobaorou and杀猪菜 (Pork Feast) in restaurants. If they go with the flow and head to the grasslands, they might find that even the Mongolian compatriots speak with a distinct Northeastern accent.
This is, of course, because the eastern region of Inner Mongolia, bordering provinces like Hebei and Liaoning, was also a destination of the "Chuang Guandong" migration. Particularly in Chifeng and Tongliao, where the climate is relatively mild, a large population gathered, most of whom identify as Northeasterners.
Moreover, the low-lying Greater Khingan Mountains did not form a geographical barrier between the eastern part of Inner Mongolia and the three Northeastern provinces; they merely made the former an "even colder Northeast." For example, China’s Cold Pole is located in Genhe, Hulunbuir.
With the opening of the China Eastern Railway, Northeastern immigrants flooded in again, leading to the rise of cities like Zhalantun and Manzhouli. These cities, much like those in Heilongjiang, carry a hint of Russian influence.
Economic, cultural, and population exchanges between the three Northeastern provinces and the eastern part of Inner Mongolia have continued to this day, collectively forming what is now known as Northeast China. As a result, even the originally Beijing Mandarin-speaking, Hebei-influenced "Chifeng people" (known for their preference for Huoshao and hot pot-like meat dishes) have become increasingly "Northeasternized."
Nowadays, not only are residents of Chifeng and Tongliao enthusiastic about buying properties in Liaoning, but college graduates also prioritize cities in the three Northeastern provinces over Hohhot as their top choice for work.
Speaking Jin Chinese and eating oat noodles—this is also Inner Mongolia.
In contrast to the eastern region, the western part of Inner Mongolia is permeated with Shanxi influences—a result of the "Walk Westward" migration from Shanxi and Shaanxi in the late Qing Dynasty. When you come to Hohhot, a representative city of western Inner Mongolia, you’ll see Shanxi and Shaanxi delicacies like knife-shaved noodles, Tiyuzi, and oat noodles遍布街头巷尾 (everywhere in streets and alleys). You’ll also hear humorous Jin dialect words like "作甚" (what are you doing?), "丫丫哇" (wow), and "闹不机密" (can’t figure it out).
Night view of Dazhao Temple and Saishang Old Street in Hohhot.
On the other hand, the powerful Mongolian Tumed and Ordos tribes have historically inhabited and herded here, adding an indelible Mongolian undertone to the region. This has not only led to the creation of fusion "hard dishes" like lamb shaomai and lamb offal baked buns but also influenced the Han Chinese to develop habits such as drinking milk tea in the morning and occasionally enjoying stewed lamb.
Additionally, Alxa has a large number of immigrants who speak Lanyin Mandarin; while Baotou and Wuhai were built by worker immigrants from old industrial areas like the Northeast. All of these contribute to a unique mixed气质 (character).
Baotou means "place with deer" in Mongolian.
Only when we look through the chaotic history of immigration and see the ethnic minority foundation of Inner Mongolia can we understand why this place is ultimately neither the Northeast nor Shanxi.
Only Mongols? All 56 ethnic groups of China are in Inner Mongolia.
To the outside world, the Mongols—representative of Inner Mongolia’s ethnic minorities—are highly similar herders. In reality, Inner Mongolia is home to various distinctive Mongolian tribes. Besides the Mongols, Inner Mongolia also hosts unique ethnic groups like the Evenkis, Oroqens, and Daurs. It is they who make Inner Mongolia so unique.
Xilingol Abag Banner Summer Nadam.
Historically, the Xilingol Grassland was the political and cultural center of the Mongols and the settlement of the Chahar Tribe, directly under the Great Khan of the Northern Yuan Dynasty. It preserves the most orthodox Mongolian culture to this day and speaks the most standard Mongolian dialect of Zhenglan Banner in Xilinhot. To their west are distributed tribes such as Tumet, Ordos, and Khoshut; to the east lie tribes like Jarud, Horchin, Naiman, and Buryat.
Wedding banquet of the Mongolian Buryat tribe.
Different tribes developed distinct clothing, dialects, and cultures. The Ordos tribe excels in playing the horsehead fiddle, while the Kharchin tribe inherits the tradition of the Choor, and the Jarud tribe has developed the art of Uliger, where stories of the Three Kingdoms and Sui-Tang are narrated in Mongolian accompanied by the four-stringed fiddle.
Fig. 1-3: Hats of different Mongolian tribes:
Buryat tribe; Ujimchin tribe;
Urad (meaning skilled craftsmen) tribe.
The vast grasslands sustain the diverse cultures of the Mongolian tribes, while the Mongols "cultivate" the grasslands with their five livestock: horses, cattle, sheep, goats, and camels. These animals clear sunlight-blocking shrubs and stimulate better growth of the pasture through grazing and trampling. Every fourteen days, herders move their livestock to new pastures, preventing overconsumption and maintaining the grassland’s millennial cycle.
In fact, besides the Mongols, Inner Mongolia is home to all ethnic groups of China, with the Daur, Ewenki, and Oroqen peoples distributed around the Greater Khingan Mountains being the most distinctive.
The Oroqen people’s deer-skin hats are unique.
In the eastern wetlands, the Oroqen people retain traces of their fishing and hunting heritage, still practicing winter fishing customs. The Ewenki people, originally from Northeast Asia, traditionally lived in birch bark tents, hunted in the Greater Khingan Mountains, and domesticated reindeer. Though now settled, they still cherish their traditions. Their "last female chieftain" was the prototype for the protagonist in Chi Zijian’s novel "The Last Quarter of the Moon." Additionally, there are the Daur people, regarded as descendants of the Khitan...
Perhaps due to this history of ethnic integration, although Inner Mongolia is geographically peripheral, its people generally have an open mindset, willing to understand different cultures and try new things.
Inner Mongolia: The Hidden Half of Chinese History
Geographically, there are three Inner Mongolias with distinct landscapes; culturally, there are two strikingly different Inner Mongolias; and in terms of significance to China, the "decentralized" Inner Mongolia becomes an organic whole, integral to Chinese history.
The ruins of Heishui City amidst the yellow sand,
which was once an important city of the Western Xia.
Frontier? A Vital Beacon of Chinese Civilization!
Though seemingly marginal, Inner Mongolia has always influenced the core of Chinese civilization. The Hongshan Culture site yielded numerous jade pig dragons, one of the origins of China’s dragon totem worship, and the jade dragon unearthed in 1971 is hailed as the "First Dragon of China."
The Hongshan Culture, which produced the "First Dragon of China," emerged from Chifeng and is a prehistoric culture comparable to the Yangshao Culture. The Dayao Site in today’s Hohhot is the largest excavated Paleolithic site in China.
Deeply reflecting the history of ethnic integration.
In subsequent history, Inner Mongolia has been equally important. Geographically, without Inner Mongolia, external forces attacking Northeast and North China would be as easy as taking something out of a bag. Beijing would then be surrounded by powerful enemies on three sides, transforming from the heart of China directly into a frontier region.
Behind the poignant Ming Dynasty ethos of "the Son of Heaven guarding the national gate, the monarch dying for the state" was the tragedy of being unable to control Inner Mongolia, leading to exorbitant defense costs that became a cause of the dynasty's downfall. Without Inner Mongolia, China would not be what it is today.
The treasure of the Inner Mongolia Museum.
The造血机 (hematopoietic engine) of China's economy and the green Great Wall of ecology.
Electricity is the foundation of modern life, from the freedom to use air conditioning to industrial production vital to the national economy and people's livelihoods. Yet, 60% of China's electricity generation still comes from coal. Imagine the impact on China's power supply without Inner Mongolia.
Electricity is just the tip of the iceberg for Inner Mongolia, known for its "sheep, coal, rare earths, and natural gas." Beneath its surface lie China's largest reserves of rare earths, coal, tin, germanium, soda ash, graphite, and fluorite, supplying one-quarter of the nation's coal and one-fifth of its natural gas. It is an indispensable part of China's resource landscape.
The Ordos Yijun Coal Mine is China's largest open-pit coal mine, while the Baotou Bayan Obo Rare Earth Mine holds 38% of the world's rare earth deposits, serving as a cornerstone for global high-tech development.
Beyond being an energy powerhouse, Inner Mongolia also represents China's green future.
A new energy project in Ulanqab.
Many Republic of China-era literati residing in Beiping wrote about Beijing's spring sandstorms. The reduction in sand and dust weather in Beijing today is largely thanks to Inner Mongolia's desert control efforts.
Due to its cool climate and low electricity costs, it is a key node in China's "East Data West Computing" project. You might not realize that the movies stored in your cloud drive are housed thousands of miles away in Inner Mongolia. Leveraging its plateau's strong sunlight and windy conditions, Inner Mongolia is rapidly developing renewable energy, even creating cyberpunk scenes of sheep grazing under wind turbines.
This is Inner Mongolia, "holding half of China." It contains the starting point of China's geographical divide; the most typical grasslands and the vastest mountains; fertile fields standing in deserts and vibrant desert ecosystems; the other half of Chinese history; the forefront of ethnic integration; an energy treasure trove; a green Great Wall...
This home to 24 million Chinese people is worth exploring!