Mongolia has deep historical ties with China, dating back over 70 years since its independence.
However, many Chinese people often confuse their understanding of Mongolia with Inner Mongolia, believing that the people there still maintain traditional Mongolian culture, such as wearing traditional robes, eating mutton, and drinking milk tea.
Some may even think they endorse the idea of "Manchu and Mongols as one family."
In reality, the culture and social situation in Mongolia are far more complex than they appear.
Today, countries around the world are actively promoting their national cultures and building national confidence, yet Mongolia seems out of place.
In the capital, Ulaanbaatar, Chinese elements have nearly disappeared, replaced by the pop culture of Japan and South Korea.
This phenomenon is visible on the streets; unlike the prevalence of Chinese cars in major cities in China, Ulaanbaatar mostly sees second-hand cars from Japan, including accident vehicles.
In public transportation, modern and Kia buses have become the main means of transport, while city architecture lacks reflections of Chinese culture, primarily featuring modern structures dominated by glass and steel.
The contrast in cultural differences and development models is especially evident in the shops and streets of Mongolia.
In various stores, the influence of Japanese and Korean pop culture has deeply taken root, with most signs, advertisements, and brands being primarily Korean and Japanese.
On streets constructed with Korean aid, signs in Korean hang prominently, and the bustling commercial environment seems to rely more on Korean and Japanese dining and fashion rather than Chinese culture.
In supermarkets, most products on the shelves are imported, especially food, primarily from Japan and South Korea.
Mongolian residents also show a preference for Japanese and Korean foods, as traditional Mongolian dishes are gradually replaced by modern fast food and specialties from Japan and South Korea.
Such consumption trends undoubtedly reflect a gradual fading of the sense of identification with local culture in Mongolia.
When we focus on the attire of people on the streets of Mongolia, this point is further corroborated.
In the Chinese imagination, the Mongolian ethnic group has always possessed a unique and strong national style, at least domestically among the Mongols who still maintain this tradition.
However, on the streets of Mongolia, people's clothing tends to lean more towards Japanese and Korean styles, with many young people pursuing the fashion of Japanese and Korean idols, gradually abandoning traditional Mongolian attire.
The convenient internet and a flood of Japanese and Korean cultural products, combined with Mongolia’s own neglect of its traditional culture, have led to the popularity of Japanese and Korean pop culture domestically.
Furthermore, the wealth gap in Mongolia is quite evident; the rich own luxury goods and flaunt designer brands, while the poor live in small houses on hills with extremely difficult living conditions.
This extreme economic disparity exacerbates social class divides, with the gap between rich and poor leaving many ordinary people feeling helpless.
Despite this, consumer culture is thriving in Mongolia, with many people lacking the habit of saving and even spending their salaries immediately like Westerners.
On payday, bars and restaurants are bustling with crowds, as many celebrate the arrival of their paychecks and indulge in fleeting joy.
Cultural confidence has always been seen as the foundation of a nation, representing a more fundamental, profound, and enduring force compared to economic development.
However, Mongolia has evidently done insufficient work in establishing cultural confidence.
Geographically, the two countries share a long border, with ethnic ties and cultural similarities in border regions, which should foster mutual influence and integration.
Yet, under the weight of history, Mongolia has chosen to rely more on Western influences, particularly from the United States.
This can be traced back to the 75 years of actual control that the Soviet Union had over Mongolia.
During that time, the Soviet Union implemented strict ideological re-education in Mongolia, prohibiting the promotion of Genghis Khan and Tibetan Buddhism, and enforcing mandatory Russian language education while disseminating extreme ideas that "only by closely following the Soviet Union can one avoid being reclaimed by China."
This series of policies led to a cautious attitude toward China in Mongolia, even lowering the sense of identification with Chinese culture to a minimum.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Mongolia, having relied on it for so long, found itself in a state of confusion and insecurity.
They began actively seeking connections with the United States and other Western countries, gradually forming biases and misunderstandings towards China.
Due to long-term cultural indoctrination and education, the younger generation in Mongolia knows very little about Chinese history and culture, with some even attempting to claim parts of Chinese history as their own.
This phenomenon is particularly noticeable in Ulaanbaatar, where many pursue European and American styles in makeup and clothing, and model advertisements in shopping malls often dominate with Western aesthetics.
At the same time, the city has attracted many foreigners, including South Koreans and tourists from other countries, with a plethora of Korean restaurants and Western eateries, and a market flooded with Japanese and Korean imports, including Japanese cars seen everywhere on the streets.
This situation has led Mongolia to look outward in cultural identity, gradually blurring its historical ties with China.
Although Mongolia is now internationally recognized as an independent nation, and the Chinese government has always respected its status, it is undeniable that Mongolia’s geographical situation makes it impossible to develop without China as a neighbor.
Regardless, Mongolia "cannot escape the sphere of influence of China and Russia to develop relationships with other countries," and external interference will only complicate this relationship further.
In summary, Mongolia faces challenges in cultural identity and confidence during its modernization process, as the burdens of history and external cultural influences leave them feeling confused in seeking their self-positioning.
In the future, Mongolia needs to reassess its relationship with China while maintaining its independence, seeking a sense of cultural identity and confidence to address the various challenges brought by globalization.
Only with the dual support of cultural confidence and economic development can Mongolia find its place in the international community and achieve true independence and development.
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