Wu Yunqiqi thought something had happened to Xiaobai, and tears started streaming down her face.
Seeing his sister's state, Batel said, "Qiqige, what's there to cry about? It's okay that Little White got lost, it knows how to get back..."
Even if a white horse doesn't know the way, on this vast grassland, no herdsman would be so heartless as to seize someone else's horses, cattle, or sheep. That would be a very despicable thing to do.
"By the way, Brother Batel, what kind of place is that? Why is the terrain so peculiar?"
Fearing the little girl would cry again if she brought up the horse, Zhuang Rui pointed to a small hill in the distance and changed the subject.
"You mean the Alzhai Caves?"
Batel followed Zhuang Rui's finger and looked in the direction Zhuang Rui was pointing. "That place is also called the Hundred-Eyed Cave. It contains many Buddhist stone carvings and paintings, and it is also a sacred site for our Mongolian people. Genghis Khan once recuperated there..."
"Is this the Alzhai Grottoes?"
Upon hearing the name, Zhuang Rui immediately understood. Before coming to Inner Mongolia, Dr. Ren had told him about the legends surrounding the Alzhai Grottoes, which are also known as "the only remaining late Buddhist grottoes". Inside the Alzhai Grottoes, there are nearly a thousand ancient and magnificent murals, which are the most valuable cultural and artistic heritage of the grottoes.
Legend has it that during Genghis Khan's sixth campaign against the Western Xia in 1226, he set up his command post in the Alzhai Caves. The Secret History of the Mongols records in detail how Genghis Khan recuperated from his injuries there, convened a meeting of his generals, and, despite his recent recovery, led his army to a great victory over the Western Xia army in the Helan Mountains.
On the right side of the entrance on the south wall inside Cave 28 of Alzhai, there is a painting of Genghis Khan's portrait.
In this painting, Genghis Khan and others sit in the center with the Alzhai Grottoes as the background, surrounded by nearly a hundred people of various kinds. The composition is very similar to the paintings that have been passed down since ancient times in the Eight White Palaces worshipped by the Ordos tribe, and the postures of the figures are exactly the same as those of the Great Khan and Khatun in the Yuan Dynasty mandala in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
This mural also demonstrates that the records in "The Secret History of the Mongols" are not unfounded, and this place once became a key research subject for Mongol historians.
After the Alzhai Grottoes became a place of Buddhist worship during the Northern Dynasties, they remained prosperous through the Sui, Tang and Western Xia dynasties. When the Mongols became the conquerors of the world, the political status of the Alzhai Grottoes reached its zenith.
Because of the stories left behind by Genghis Khan in the Alzhai Grottoes, the Mongols have long held ceremonies to worship Genghis Khan here. Throughout the Mongol Empire, the Alzhai Grottoes Temple has always been one of several memorial halls of different natures used to commemorate Genghis Khan.
The group's main purpose in coming here was to find Zhuang Rui. Now that they had found him, there was no need to continue. Timur was acquainted with the lamas at the Alzhai Caves, so he said, "Zhuang Rui, let's go to the caves to rest. You need to wash up too..."
"Okay, I was just thinking of going to check it out..."
Timur's words were exactly what Zhuang Rui wanted to hear. With only a few days left until the deadline he had agreed upon with Professor Meng, he had lost hope of finding the tombs of the Mongol emperors. Therefore, he wanted to spend the rest of his time learning more about Mongol Yuan culture.
Chapter 1148 Alzhai Caves
"Luffy..."
Just as Zhuang Rui and his companions mounted their horses and prepared to head to the Alzhai Grottoes, the sound of a horse neighing came from afar.
Upon seeing that Zhuang Rui had lost his white horse, Wu Yun Qiqige, who had been somewhat sullen, suddenly shouted, "It's Little White! My Little White is back..."
Sure enough, as Qiqige shouted, Xiaobai ran over from a distance. When it saw Zhuang Rui and the others, it raised its front hooves and neighed loudly.
"Little White, I missed you so much! Brother Zhuang Rui is such a bad guy, I'll never let him ride you again! Hey? Little White, Little White..."
Wuyun Qiqige jumped off her horse and affectionately hugged Xiaobai's neck. However, Xiaobai didn't seem to appreciate her as its former master. After licking Wuyun Qiqige's hand, it happily ran to Zhuang Rui's side.
"Pfft..."
After sneezing, Xiaobai affectionately nudged Zhuang Rui with its big head, and then lowered its head to Zhuifeng, a gesture of submission from a horse to its leader.
"Little White can now be called a thoroughbred horse..."
Zhuang Rui reached out and patted Xiao Bai's head. It seemed that after his spiritual energy had been used to regulate Xiao Bai's body, it had greatly improved. Otherwise, it would not have caught up so quickly. You know, none of those wild horses with amazing endurance have come back yet.
"Wow……"
Zhuang Rui was surprised that Xiao Bai's affectionate gesture would cause Wu Yun Qiqige to burst into tears. He was a little confused. Qiqige was already crying when Xiao Bai wasn't here, but now that she's back, why is she crying?
Zhuang Rui was unaware that Wu Yun Qiqi had been worrying about Xiao Bai for a long time, but now that Xiao Bai had arrived, she was even more affectionate towards Zhuang Rui than she was, the master. The little girl was a bit overwhelmed by this.
After learning what Qiqige was thinking, Zhuang Rui was a little amused and exasperated. After thinking for a while, he said, "Qiqige, how about... I let you ride the Chase Wind?"
Qiqige also felt a little embarrassed by crying, so she raised her head and said loudly, "No, I'll ride my own Little White..."
"Alright, let's have a competition and see who gets to the Hundred-Eyed Cave first, shall we?"
Zhuang Rui laughed when he heard this. He quite liked this stubborn little girl; she was straightforward and not pretentious at all.
"No way, I know you can run fast..."
Wu Yunqiqi wiped away her tears, pouted, and said, "The little girl is innocent by nature, but that doesn't mean she's stupid. Everyone saw Zhui Feng's performance that night. Racing with Zhui Feng was pure self-torture." "Hehe, how about this, I won't participate. You ride Xiaobai and race against Brother Batel, how about that?"
Zhuang Rui said with a smile.
"Even Little White can't outrun Big Brother's Crimson Blood. Brother Zhuang Rui is always coming up with bad ideas..."
The little girl angrily waved her little fists at Zhuang Rui while wiping the sweat from Xiao Bai's neck with a handkerchief.
"Qiqige, Xiaobai ran really fast yesterday, it's not necessarily slower than Chixue..."
Zhuang Rui continued, also wanting to see if the white horse, modified with his spiritual energy, could match Chi Xue's speed. "Really? Okay, big brother, let's have a race..."
Wu Yunqiqige also thought about what happened the night before. Zhuang Rui was able to catch up with the Ferghana horse on Xiaobai, which meant that Xiaobai was not slow either. However, she didn't think much about why the white horse could run so fast in just a few days.
Batel was quite provoked by Chasing the Wind today and wanted to vent his frustration by riding his horse. He immediately agreed, "Alright, whoever gets to Guanyin's temple first wins..."
"What Guanyin temple?"
Just as Zhuang Rui was about to ask, the race had already begun. Not only Batel and Uyunqiqige, but also Peng Fei and Timur galloped off. Of course, Peng Fei's yellow horse was left far behind by the others in the first hundred meters or so.
"Let's go..."
Four or five minutes after the others had run ahead, Zhuang Rui gently squeezed Zhui Feng's abdomen and slowly followed. Zhui Feng seemed to know Zhuang Rui's mindset and did not run at full speed, but even so, he quickly caught up with Peng Fei.
"Peng Fei, is it fun riding the mare?"
Zhuang Rui laughed heartily as he ran past Peng Fei, who looked sullen.
As the saying goes, "looking at a mountain makes a horse run itself to death." The Alzhai Grottoes looked very close, but in fact, they were a good 10 to 20 kilometers away from where Zhuang Rui and the others had just been. The people in front of them were mindful of their horses' strength and did not go all out. It took them almost half an hour to reach the "Hundred Eyes" Cave.
"Brother Zhuang Rui, I beat Big Brother! I really beat him! Xiao Bai is so amazing..."
Just as Zhuang Rui arrived beside Batel and the others, he heard Wu Yunqiqige's excited shouts. Although the little girl was covered in sweat from running, she was extremely excited and kept stroking the little white dog under her.
"How about it? Qiqige, is Brother Zhuang Rui still a big bad guy? Your Xiaobai was all trained by me..."
Zhuang Rui laughed upon hearing this, deliberately taking credit for himself. By doing so, he would not arouse suspicion from Batel and the others.
Sure enough, after hearing Zhuang Rui's words, a dejected Batel said, "Little White is a genuine Ili horse. I traded for forty sheep for it, intending to use it as a stud. It should be fully developed now, but I didn't expect it to outrun Crimson Blood..."
Xiao Bai was originally of good bloodline, but it was still young, so it was not the fastest horse in Batel's stable that Wu Yunqiqige rode. However, its performance just now made Batel look at it with new eyes.
As for Zhuang Rui's words about training, Batel automatically filtered them out. What a joke! If he could train Xiaobai to this level in just one or two days, Batel would really want to become Zhuang Rui's apprentice.
"Brother Batel, is this the Guanyin Bodhisattva's sacred site you mentioned?"
After Zhuang Rui successfully diverted Batel and the others' attention, his focus was completely drawn to the building in front of him.
Three or four hundred meters directly in front of Zhuang Rui, there was a very large complex of buildings. The buildings were surrounded by pine and cypress trees, which were lush and green. The blue sky, white clouds, green trees and red bricks complemented each other, just like a refreshing and pleasing landscape painting.
The Guanyin temple that Batel mentioned is built in this picturesque and elegant environment, and from a distance, it looks like a lion lying quietly in the pine forest.
The colorful prayer flags fluttered in the wind within the temple grounds, accompanied by the occasional pleasant chanting of Buddhist hymns. The golden stupa stood tall in the sky, radiating light under the sun, making it appear even more solemn and beautiful.
Zhuang Rui had not expected that such a magnificent complex of buildings had been built around the dilapidated Hundred Eyes Cave, which looked dilapidated from afar. When Peng Fei arrived shouting, he left his horse at the stables of the temple.
Upon entering the Guanyin Temple, Zhuang Rui realized that it was a modernly built temple, which immediately dampened his interest. After a quick look around, he passed through the Guanyin Temple and arrived at the entrance of the Hundred-Eyed Cave.
Only by stepping into the Hundred Eyes Cave can one truly appreciate its extraordinary nature. On the steep cliffs, which are more than 40 meters above the surrounding ground, there are caves of all sizes. At first glance, each cave entrance looks as if it were formed by weathering.
The Alzhai Grottoes, known as the "Dunhuang of the Grasslands," occupy an important position in Chinese grotto culture and have been listed as a national key cultural relics protection unit.
Because the cave was severely damaged, it was originally closed to the public. However, Timur was very familiar with the management staff here, and the credentials from Zhuang Ruijing University Archaeological Institute also played a role. In the end, the group was able to enter the cave.
After viewing the three grottoes, Zhuang Rui couldn't help but exclaim in amazement: "This place is really no less impressive than the Dunhuang Grottoes, and in terms of the color scheme of the murals, it's even better..."
The murals in the Alzhai Grottoes are mostly in color, mainly in green, red, black, blue, white and yellow, with mineral pigments. Some of them, as Zhuang Rui identified them, are now extinct. Despite the passage of hundreds of years, these murals remain as vibrant as ever.
The first twenty-odd murals mostly depict important religious figures such as Shakyamuni Buddha of the Western Xia Dynasty and Bodhisattvas, as well as Buddhist worship scenes from the Yuan Dynasty. The style of the murals indicates that this place was once a gathering place for major sects such as the Black Sect, Red Sect, Flower Sect, White Sect, and Yellow Sect, showcasing the history of the spread of Tibetan Buddhism in Inner Mongolia.
"Luckily, the little girl didn't come along. Not everything in Buddhism is good. The practice of joy meditation in Buddhism is just about releasing the desires in one's heart."
When we observed Cave 28, we found that it depicted a scene of male and female tantric practices. The colors of the two figures were exquisite and the scene was full of mystery. In some of the background halos, the gold leaf was even used. The painting was extremely beautiful and looked magnificent.
Zhuang Rui has some knowledge of both Buddhism and Taoism, but he prefers the Taoist idea that there is no beginning or end and that the Tao gives birth to all things.
This kind of thinking at least won't lead to fanatical behavior. At least Taoist priests can get married, which is much better than those monks who are all talk and no action.
Of course, with both Buddhism and Taoism declining today, many ancient temples and monasteries have become places for these reclusive people to make money. Perhaps only in some remote places can the true teachings be preserved.
When Zhuang Rui reached the first cave on the top level of the grottoes, he stopped. At the entrance of the cave, there was a stone Sulde spear, and the explanatory text next to it said that it was a symbol of Genghis Khan's invincibility.
The two vertical trenches carved into the stone wall in front of the gate are where Genghis Khan sat while recuperating from his injuries in Alzai, where he practiced archery.
"Hmm? This...this is the 'Genghis Khan Family Worship Chart'?"
Upon entering the grotto, Zhuang Rui's gaze was immediately drawn to the murals on the walls.
The majestic man sitting on the high platform in the mural should be Genghis Khan. His three wives and his four sons who later founded the Golden Family are sitting on either side, receiving the worship of the people.
Chapter 1149 A Bold Guess
This painting on the wall, titled "Portrait of Genghis Khan," is a set of paintings divided into several different story backgrounds, each measuring 120 cm × 50 cm. In this painting, Genghis Khan and others sit in the center against the backdrop of the Alzhai Grottoes, surrounded by nearly a hundred figures of various kinds.
In the first mural, there is a white pedestal with eight people depicted on it. The third person from the left is Genghis Khan, whom the Mongols call the Holy Lord. Surrounding him are three women from the right: Börte Khatun, Lady Khulan, and Lady Yesugan.
According to Zhuang Rui's deduction, the four men to the left of Genghis Khan should be Princes Jochi, Chagatai, Ögedei, and Tolui. This is also the most complete portrait of Genghis Khan's Golden Family that Zhuang Rui has ever seen.
Looking further down, the scene shifts to the lower right of the platform, where a woman is depicted leading about 20 people to bow to the eight people in the center. Zhuang Rui analyzed that this woman should be Lady Yesui, who accompanied Genghis Khan in his conquest of the Western Xia. They are dressed in traditional Mongolian clothing and are carrying camels, horses, cattle, and sheep to pay homage to the people on the platform.
On the lower left and right sides of the central platform, there are more than 20 people bowing to the eight people in the center, which shows the prosperity of the Golden Family at that time. This is the mural with the most figures that Zhuang Rui has seen since entering the Alzhai Grottoes. The scene is vivid and magnificent, and the content is extremely rich.
Seeing Zhuang Rui staring intently at the pattern on the wall, Batel said, "Brother Zhuang Rui, this painting is very similar to the one that has been passed down since ancient times in the Eight White Palace, which is worshipped by our Ordos tribe. This is indeed a place where the Great Khan once stayed. I wonder if it will be helpful to your archaeology?"
In Inner Mongolia, besides the Genghis Khan Mausoleum, which is known as a cenotaph, the Alzhai Grottoes are also an important place for Mongolians to worship their ancestors. As a genuine Darhad Genghis Khan Mausoleum Keeper, Batel is no stranger to this place.
"That's right, this is indeed a place where Genghis Khan stayed, and these murals are not just made up; they are very likely the work of one of Genghis Khan's four sons..."
Zhuang Rui nodded upon hearing this. He knew far more about Genghis Khan's history than Batel. The figures in the painting were almost identical to the Great Khan and Khatun in the Yuan Dynasty mandala held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
This also indicates that the portraits of Genghis Khan in the Alzhai Grottoes were indeed passed down from the Yuan Dynasty.
After leaving this grotto, the mural in the adjacent grotto depicts "Genghis Khan Guarding the Khan's Chamber of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty." In this mural, Genghis Khan appears as Vaisravana, one of the Four Heavenly Kings, holding a jeweled umbrella in his right hand and a jeweled rat in his left, surrounded by yakshas and rakshasas on all sides, exhibiting typical Tibetan Buddhist painting traditions.
Vaisravana was originally Kubera, the god of wealth in Hindu mythology. In Buddhist mythology, he guards the north and controls wealth, hence he is also called "the God of Wealth." The Mongols call Vaisravana Namsalai and also recognize him as the god of wealth. Zhuang Rui learned from some documents that the Mongols firmly believed that Vaisravana was Genghis Khan after his death and ascension to heaven.
Of course, this is just a publicity stunt by Genghis Khan's descendants. The person who knew how to stabilize his regime by mythologizing his ancestors more than a thousand years ago is also very famous in history, namely Kublai Khan and Phagpa.