Genghis Khan back in Mongolia with Taiwan’s help

The installation of the nearly-three story high Genghis Khan portrait — made with 437,000 crystal mosaic tiles by German workers based on a portrait of Genghis Khan in the National Palace Museum’s collection — is expected to be completed in April, said Chan Ming-chu, governor of Rotary International District 3480.

Already a landmark in Ulan Bator, the Genghis Khan portrait will be a place where all Mongolian people can conveniently worship and remember their great national founding father, said Migeddorj Batchimeg, Mongolia’s representative in Taiwan.

Batchimeg, who speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese and has been instrumental in arranging the placement of the portrait at the Ulan Bator international airport, expressed her gratitude to members of the Rotary International District 3480 and National Palace Museum for the precious gift they gave to the Mongolian people.

Describing Genghis Khan as “the major source of pride” for Mongolia’s people, Batchimeg said he created the foundation for the largest empire in world history, which encompassed China, the Middle East, Russia and Central Asia at its peak under Genghis Khan’s grandson Kublai Khan, who ruled from 1260 to 1294 and founded the Yuan Dynasty in China.

During the time Mongolia was closely aligned with the Soviet Union, the Russians through their proxies in Ulan Bator tried to smear the image of Genghis Khan by saying he and his army caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people, Batchimeg asserted.

After the fall of communism in Mongolia in 1990 and the adoption of new constitution in 1992, however, Genghis Khan was recognized again as the country’s hero and founding father and has since been worshiped and commemorated on a regular basis. Even the name of the capital city’s airport was changed to Genghis Khan International Airport three years ago, she said.

To many historians, Genghis Khan remains a puzzle because few artifacts related to him specifically have been left behind. As a consequence, Mongolians consider the portrait of Genghis Khan in Taipei’s National Palace Museum to be one of the most precious treasures connecting them to their founding father.

The 59.4 cm X 47 cm color portrait on a silk sheet is thought to be a likeness of Genghis Khan in his sixties painted during the era of Kubilai Khan. It is generally accepted as the most accurate depiction of Genghis Khan and considered a “must see” by Mongolian officials or citizens whenever they visit Taiwan, Batchimeg said.

The mosaic reproduction of the portrait came to life because the Taipei based Rotary International District 3480, which had quietly sought to enhance bilateral relations between Taiwan and Mongolia, knotted sisterhood ties with the Niislel Rotary Club in Ulan Bator in 2004.

After paying visits to Taipei and viewing Genghis Khan’s portrait at the National Palace Museum several times, the Niislel Rotary members expressed their “dream” that the portrait would one day be returned to Mongolia.

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