The Mongol cultural legacy is profound and far-reaching, and it is visible in every aspect of modern culture. The legacy is a major feature of the cultural inheritance of Eurasia, and the legacy is a major source of pride for the peoples of the former Mongol world.

The Mongol cultural legacy is visible in a number of ways, including:

  • The spread of major world religions
  • The spread of artistic and literary traditions
  • The spread of scientific and medical knowledge
  • The spread of culinary traditions
  • The spread of musical traditions
  • The spread of architectural traditions

The Mongol cultural legacy is one of the most important contributions of the Mongol Empire to the modern world, and the legacy is one of the most distinctive features of the cultural history of Eurasia.

The Spread of Major World Religions

The spread of major world religions was one of the most important features of the Mongol cultural legacy. The Mongols were, by the standards of the medieval world, a remarkably tolerant people, and they allowed their subjects to practice their own religions. The Mongol tolerance was a major factor in the spread of major world religions across Eurasia.

The most important of the religious legacies was the spread of Buddhism to Mongolia and to the Yuan Dynasty in China. The Mongols gradually adopted Buddhism, and the adoption was a major factor in the development of the Mongolian culture. The Mongols also allowed the spread of Islam to the Ilkhanate and the Golden Horde, and the spread was a major factor in the development of the Islamic world.

The Mongols also allowed the spread of Christianity to the Mongol heartland, and the spread was a major factor in the development of the Christian communities of Central Asia and China. The most famous of the Christian communities was the Nestorian Christian community, which was an important minority in the Mongol world.

The Spread of Artistic and Literary Traditions

The spread of artistic and literary traditions was another important feature of the Mongol cultural legacy. The Mongols patronized a wide range of artistic and literary traditions, and the spread was a major factor in the development of the modern world.

The most important of the artistic legacies was the painting of the Yuan court, which combined Chinese brushwork with Persian colors and motifs. The painting was a major innovation, and the painting was a major factor in the development of the modern Chinese painting tradition.

The most important of the literary legacies was the “Travels of Marco Polo,” which was widely read in Europe and was one of the main sources of European knowledge of China and the Mongol world for several centuries. The Travels was a major work of world literature, and the Travels was a major factor in the development of the European imagination.

The Spread of Scientific and Medical Knowledge

The spread of scientific and medical knowledge was another important feature of the Mongol cultural legacy. The Mongols helped to spread a wide range of scientific and medical knowledge, and the spread was a major factor in the development of the modern world.

The most important of the scientific legacies was the spread of Chinese mathematics, astronomy, and medicine to the Middle East and to Europe. The spread was a major factor in the development of the European Renaissance, and the spread was a major step in the development of the modern world.

The most important of the medical legacies was the spread of Chinese medical knowledge to the Middle East and to Europe. The spread was a major factor in the development of the modern medical tradition, and the spread was a major step in the development of the modern world.

The Spread of Culinary Traditions

The spread of culinary traditions was another important feature of the Mongol cultural legacy. The Mongols helped to spread a wide range of culinary traditions, and the spread was a major factor in the development of the modern world.

The most important of the culinary legacies was the spread of Chinese noodles and other Chinese food products to Central Asia and to the Middle East. The spread was a major factor in the development of the modern Central Asian and Middle Eastern cuisines, and the spread was a major step in the development of the modern world.

The most important of the beverage legacies was the spread of tea from China to Central Asia and to the Middle East. The spread of tea was a major factor in the development of the modern Central Asian and Middle Eastern beverage traditions, and the spread was a major step in the development of the modern world.

The Spread of Musical Traditions

The spread of musical traditions was another important feature of the Mongol cultural legacy. The Mongols helped to spread a wide range of musical traditions, and the spread was a major factor in the development of the modern world.

The most important of the musical legacies was the spread of the Central Asian and Persian musical traditions to China, and the spread of the Chinese musical traditions to Central Asia and to the Middle East. The spread was a major factor in the development of the modern Chinese, Central Asian, and Middle Eastern musical traditions, and the spread was a major step in the development of the modern world.

The most important of the instrument legacies was the spread of various musical instruments from one region to another. The most famous of the instrument legacies is the spread of the Chinese sheng to the West, which was a major factor in the development of the European free-reed instruments, including the accordion and the harmonica.

The Spread of Architectural Traditions

The spread of architectural traditions was another important feature of the Mongol cultural legacy. The Mongols patronized a wide range of architectural traditions, and the spread was a major factor in the development of the modern world.

The most important of the architectural legacies was the spread of the Chinese architectural traditions to Central Asia and to the Middle East, and the spread of the Persian and Islamic architectural traditions to China. The spread was a major factor in the development of the modern Chinese, Central Asian, and Middle Eastern architectural traditions, and the spread was a major step in the development of the modern world.

The most important of the urban legacies was the development of the major cities of the Mongol world, including Khanbaliq (Beijing), Tabriz, Samarkand, and Karakorum. The development of these cities was a major factor in the urban development of the modern world, and the development was a major step in the development of the modern urban traditions.

Sources

  • Thomas T. Allsen, Commodity and Exchange in the Mongol Empire (Cambridge, 2001).
  • Janet L. Abu-Lughod, Before European Hegemony (New York, 1989).
  • Jack Weatherford, Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World (New York, 2004).

See Also