Tengriism was the central religious tradition of the Mongol people, and the worship of the “Yellow Old Man” was a major feature of the religious life of the steppe peoples. The Yellow Old Man, also known as the “Yellow Lama” or the “Yellow Teacher,” is a figure in the religious traditions of the Inner Asian peoples, and the figure is associated with the worship of the earth and the underworld.
The Yellow Old Man is a complex religious figure, and the meaning of the figure has been the subject of much scholarly debate. The most common interpretation is that the Yellow Old Man is a figure associated with the earth, the underworld, and the spirits of the ancestors. The figure is typically depicted in art as a dignified, bearded man, often wearing yellow or golden robes, and the figure is often associated with wisdom, fertility, and the prosperity of the people.
The Origins of the Yellow Old Man
The origins of the Yellow Old Man are not entirely clear, but the figure is generally believed to have originated in the religious traditions of the Inner Asian peoples. The figure may have been a pre-Buddhist deity, or it may have been a figure associated with the early Buddhist traditions of the region.
The figure is most clearly attested in the religious traditions of the Mongols, the Turks, and the Tibetans, but the figure is also known in the religious traditions of the Chinese, the Koreans, and the Japanese. The figure is typically associated with the earth, the underworld, and the spirits of the ancestors, and the figure is often invoked in the religious rituals of the Inner Asian peoples.
The Worship of the Yellow Old Man
The worship of the Yellow Old Man was a central feature of the religious life of the Inner Asian peoples. The figure was typically worshipped in the context of the shamanic traditions of the region, and the figure was often associated with the spirits of the ancestors and the spirits of the natural world.
The worship of the Yellow Old Man was often combined with the worship of Tengri, the eternal blue sky, and the two figures were seen as complementary aspects of the religious life of the people. The worship of Tengri was associated with the upper world, the celestial world, and the divine powers; the worship of the Yellow Old Man was associated with the lower world, the underworld, and the spirits of the ancestors.
The worship of the Yellow Old Man was also a major feature of the Buddhist traditions of the region. The figure was often identified with a Buddhist deity, and the worship of the figure was an important part of the religious life of the Buddhist peoples of the region. The identification of the Yellow Old Man with a Buddhist deity was a major factor in the spread of Buddhism to the Mongol world in the late thirteenth century.
The Decline of the Worship
The decline of the worship of the Yellow Old Man was a major feature of the religious history of the Inner Asian peoples. The decline was caused by a combination of factors, including the spread of Buddhism, the spread of Islam, and the political changes that took place in the region in the medieval period.
The spread of Buddhism to the Mongol world in the late thirteenth century was a major factor in the decline of the worship of the Yellow Old Man. The Mongols gradually adopted Buddhism, and the worship of the Yellow Old Man was gradually replaced by the worship of the Buddhist deities. The spread of Islam to the Mongol world in the late thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries was also a major factor in the decline of the worship of the Yellow Old Man.
The political changes that took place in the region in the medieval period were also a major factor in the decline of the worship of the Yellow Old Man. The rise of the Mongol Empire, the establishment of the various khanates, and the eventual absorption of the khanates by the new regional powers all contributed to the decline of the worship of the Yellow Old Man.
The Legacy of the Yellow Old Man
The legacy of the Yellow Old Man is visible in a number of ways. The most obvious is in the modern religious traditions of the Mongols, where the worship of the figure continues to be an important part of the cultural heritage. The legacy is also visible in the modern religious traditions of the Tibetans, the Buryats, and the other Inner Asian peoples.
The legacy of the Yellow Old Man is also visible in the modern popular culture of the region. The most obvious is in the modern Mongolian popular culture, where the figure is often depicted in films, television series, and other media. The figure is also widely referenced in the modern Mongolian literature, and the figure is often used as a symbol of the cultural heritage of the Mongols.
Sources
- Jack Weatherford, The Secret History of the Mongol Queens (New York, 2010).
- Anatoly M. Khazanov, Nomads and the Outside World (2nd ed., Madison, 1994).
- David Morgan, The Mongols (2nd ed., Oxford, 2007).