Today’s A Journey through Aesthetic Realms will be presented in Mongolian, with subtitles in Arabic, Aulacese (Vietnamese), Aulacese (Vietnamese), Chinese, English, French, German, Hungarian, Indonesian, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian, Persian, Portuguese, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

Greetings to all your international viewers and friends on behalf of the people of Mongolia. Mongolians have a long history of traditional clothing.

Greetings, gracious viewers, and welcome to A Journey through Aesthetic Realms on Supreme Master Television. The nomadic Mongolian people are known for their forthright personality, skilled horsemanship, and regal traditional clothes. The colorful costumes have been developed over the past 2200 years to suit their unique way of life on the rolling steppes.

Whether during winter or summer, whether they are camping by a yurt or dancing at a festival, the Mongolian outfit is always protective, comfortable, and elegant. Today, in the first of a 2-part program, we will have an in-depth look at this precious cultural heritage through our interviews with distinguished Mongolian scientist Professor Dulam Sendenjav and participants of the 2010 Mongolian Deel Festival, which honors the clothing heritage of the nation.

In the “Secret History of Mongolia,” there is a quote by Bodanchir the Wise: “Humans have brotherhood as a deel has a collar.” It means that our traditional clothing reflects the king and subordinates and the culture of leadership and being led and united.

The traditional outer attire of Mongolians includes a tunic called the deel, the belt, the boots, the hat, the hairdress, as well as accessories.

This is our Mongol deel. There are various fashion styles of the Mongol deel. There are deels for kings, aristocrats, and everyday people. The unique thing about the Mongol deel is that it has a collar. Here it is. It has this upper part. Here is the side, down here. And the sleeves are made loose. We made our deel manually using a sewing machine. In the past deels were made by hand. It is trimmed with three lines. Deels for kings and aristocrats were always handmade and had special decorations, cloaks, and hats.

Our ancestors used to wear this top. It is open in front. Sleeves are loose. It has such a lower part.

Married Mongolian women wear an outer garment over the deel call “uuj.” It conveys high morals and trustfulness.

There is a saying that “a woman without an ‘uuj’ is a peaceful woman.” This means that a woman who is not married has no responsibility on her back and has freedom. Once she puts on an “uuj,” it means that her responsibility becomes heavier and greater for the family. If they become a widow, they take off the “uuj.” This is the clothing of a woman, married and living with her husband.

The belt represents dignity and protection of fortune for Mongolian men, and must be handled with care. When two men exchange their belts, it symbolizes their promise to support each other through good as well as challenging times.

It is said that a man’s destiny is kept in his belt. That is why belts are not to be placed somewhere randomly or down on the ground, and when one is sleeping it is kept tied in a special pattern called a “rabbit ear.”

If there is one thing that’s more sacred than the belt, it would be the hat, as it is always placed on top of the belt and other clothes when they are not in use.

A Mongol hat has such a shape. To start from the top, a Mongolian hat always has this red ribbon. This ribbon is tied making a special pattern and design called “ulzii.” This flame symbolizes that the Mongol nation is always kept upward like a flame. Hence, Mongolians are called “Red-ribbon Mongolians.”

A raised top represents high saintly mountains. Inside it is blue, symbolizing a high mountain becoming a blue ocean. From here, tassels come out with 64 or 32 pieces hanging down. This symbolizes 32 and 64 ethnic groups that spread out from the Mongol nation.

The highlights of a Mongolian wife’s costume include the deel, the hat and hairdress, and the ornaments made of silver and jewelry.

People can see whether a woman is married or not. The clothing shows. Deels for married women have pleats in the shoulders. Yet, deels for young girls have no such a thing, and this is called “tatakham.” This is all for young girls, front and back.

This is a knife. Girls get married and live with their in-laws. When a daughter gets married, parents prepare a full set of clothing for her. This has all necessary utensils. A knife. It is a very useful household tool.

Can you take it out and show it to us?

This is a knife.

This is a lighter. Woman work in kitchen and had to have lighter. This is very old stuff. This is used to make a fire, and when you grind it on top of hay and wood, it makes fire. This is a pincher. If something goes in here, it picks it up.

This hat’s round shape has more detailed parts. There are 11 parts to it. It is said that it will represent family. Buryat know their 11 generations background. It is believed that Buryat has 11 fathers. This means that the clan is born from 11 fathers.

This hat has a raised top part. On top of one’s head, there are important spots. It is designed not to put pressure on them. Everyone has energy in himself or herself. We are surrounded by a rainbow colored aura. So, when it has such a high top it makes it conducive to receive energy from the sky.

These shoes have a special design. This helps a person to walk faster and not to disturb the earth’s soil.

How comfortable is it?

Very comfortable. For instance, here in the lower part, it is loose, right? This is for a married woman and for a pregnant woman. It makes walking free and easy.

The choice of colors of the costumes reflects the surrounding natural environment and belief system of the wearer.

This blue color top symbolizing Lake Baikal represents water. There is a small island in the Baikal Lake called Oikhon. This ribbon represents Oikhon Island which reminds of praying to the Oikhon Heaven. This is the meaning. This white color symbolizes and supports the destiny of a human.

It symbolizes purity.

It means purity and cleanliness.

Black and red is the life being lived and there is always a fight between these two. Yet, black and red always go together. This shows the life that people live.

Does the white color being on top mean that it always wins over red and black?

Yes, yes.

Does it mean that a pure and clean heart is the best of the best one can have? (Yes.)

During our reporting at the 2010 Mongolian Deel Festival, we were fortunate to meet the grand prize winners. Let’s found out what they are wearing.

We are very delighted about winning the first prize. I think this is in appreciation of our traditional costumes and the generous blessings of my fellow Mongolian people. The costume we are wearing belongs to the 13th century and the period of Genghis Khan.

This deel was made by Ms. Lhagvaa. She designed the color, button points and collar according to how it would have been suitable to that type of person. This is the most likely version of design in those days. Mongolian costumes are not only worn by us but also by foreigners, and I am very pleased with the fact that they are also appreciated by them.

My deel was designed by Ms. Tungalag, an artist who painted the portrait of Genghis Khan, and was made by Mr. Ganaa. This part facing west means to obtain wealth. I am very pleased that I won first place in this festival.

Could you explain in detail about your deel? Why does it have such patterns?

This deel has a meaning behind it. It has no buttons. In ancient times, deels had no buttons. This is to keep the deel loose so that it is airy and the sunlight can penetrate it to give energy to the body. This is to receive energy from Heaven and from nature.

The graceful and practical, traditional Mongolian clothes reflect a life in harmony with nature. Please join us for part 2 tomorrow, where we will find out about ethnic varieties of Mongolian costumes and the influence of the exquisite apparel on other parts of the world.

Righteous viewers, thank you for your company on today’s episode of A Journey through Aesthetic Realms on Supreme Master Television. Please stay tuned to Vegetarianism: The Noble Way of Living, after Noteworthy News. May the heavenly sound stream uplift your soul.