Inner Mongolia

My husband and our friend drove from Beijing to Shenyang, and on Friday, July 31, I took a train to Chifeng, a city in Inner Mongolia, to join them. I spent three wonderful days with them exploring the area. We enjoyed delicious local food, including mutton and Mongolian copper pot milk tea. I really loved the food there. I also learned a lot about Khitan history here of the region and discovered many interesting stories and cultural traditions. The endless green grasslands were also breathtakingly beautiful, making the trip even more memorable.

I took this photo on the train while I was on my way to Chifeng. I tried to get some work done during the journey, but the internet connection was unstable because the train often passed through montains and tunnels. As a result, I spent most of the journey listening to a podcast featuring a conversation between Lu Yu and Chinese Malaysian writer Li Zishu. This photo reminds me of that quiet journey — sitting on the train, watching the scenery pass by, and listening to their conversation.

View from the train to Chifeng

When I arrived in Chifeng, I noticed a group of people performing on stilts. It was a delightful surprise because I hadn't seen stilt walking performances for a long time.

The most interesting part was that they dressed up as different characters, such as Zhu Bajie from Journey to the West. The performer who played Zhu Bajie carried a flower and jokingly flirted with people around him, creating many funny moments. The performance was both humorous and lively, and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. I was also drawn into the cheerful atmosphere and found myself smiling along with everyone else.

Stilt walking performance in Chifeng

The next morning, I woke up early and had breakfast. I was pleasantly suprised to find that they even served mutton offal soup and Mongolian copper pot milk tea. After breakfast, I visited Hongshan Park and the Hongshan Culture Museum.

One thing I learned was the story behind the name Chifeng. In Chinese, Chifeng means "red peak," and the name comes from Hongshan mountain, a real red-colored mountain located in the city.

Chifeng is also an important birthplace of ancient Chinese civilization. It is home to Hongshan Culture, a Neolithic culture dating back more than 5000 years. Archaeologists have discovered many precious jade artifacts, pottery, and ancient remains here, showing the remarkable creativity and craftsmanship of people who lived in this region thousands of years ago.

Hongshan behind the museum

After lunch, we drove to Bairin Right Banner. Along the way, we captured some beautiful photos of the scenary. What makes this photo special is the way the sunlight outlined the sheep, making them look almost like paper cutouts placed onto the landscape.

Sheep grazing at sunset in Bairin Right Banner

The next morning, I visited the Liao Shangjing Museum, where I learned a lot about the Khitan people and the Liao Dynasty (916–1125).

One of the most fascinating things I discovered was that Beijing was actually under the rule of the Liao Dynasty rather than the Northern Song Dynasty. At that time, Beijing was called Nanjing, one of the five capitals of the Liao Dynasty.

Another thing I had not known was that the Russian word for China, Kitay (Китай), is believed to have originated from the name "Khitan." After the Liao Dynasty fell to the Jin Dynasty, the Khitan noble Yelü Dashi led a group of Khitans westward and established the Western Liao Dynasty in Central Asia. The name "Khitan" became widely known across Eurasia and also gave rise to the English word Cathay, which appears in the name Cathay Pacific.

Liao Shangjing Museum

That afternoon, we continued driving to our next stop, Tongliao. After arriving there, my husband and I said goodbye to our friend, and the following day, we returned to Beijing. Overall, I loved the scenery along the way, especially the vast grasslands. The people we met were warm and welcoming, and I really enjoyed the local food. I hope I will have the chance to visit again someday.

Grassland beneath the clouds in Bairin Right Banner