The Cultural Ascendency of Mongolia: Unveiling London's Encounter with the Mongol Khan

The Coliseum in London's West End is known for hosting grand theatrical productions, but even for the city's biggest theater, "The Mongol Khan" was something truly special. Boasting a cast of over 70 actors, dancers, and musicians, the production is a dazzling display of color and sound. However, the political context surrounding the show is just as intricate as the elaborate sets.

This marks the inaugural Mongolian production to embark on an international tour, hailed as an embodiment of "soft power" by a noted expert. The show had faced a ban in China earlier this year. Featuring costumes inspired by archaeological findings, the 2.5 hour performance is an adaptation of the 1998 play "The State without a Seal" (Tamagui Tor in Mongolian) by the writer and poet Lkhagvasuren Bavuu. The narrative revolves around a fictional account of a king in Central Asia 2,000 years in the past, who grapples with the necessity of making sacrifices for the future of his empire.

With a cast of more than 70 actors, dancers and musicians, "The Mongol Khan" is "a riot of color and sound."

Katja Ogrin

Following two sold-out previews last week, the multi-million dollar production had its official opening on Monday evening (November 20). The gala event attracted VIP guests to the grand theater, leading to such high demand that the show started 30 minutes late.

But the fact that the curtains even lifted was a feat.

A disrupted start

The production was shut down just two months ago, shortly before its opening night in Hohhot, the capital of Inner Mongolia. The region, nominally an "autonomous region" of China, has a population of 24 million people, with about four million being ethnic Mongols. Some of them have expressed grievances against Beijing's policies, reinforcing separatist sentiments among the Mongolian diaspora, who seek to see the region unite with Mongolia, home to about 3.5 million people.

Inner Mongolians welcomed us, and the Chinese forced us to leave," said director Hero Baatar in an interview with CNN through a translator. He added that the performers were prohibited from wearing traditional Mongolian attire in public and were under constant surveillance while in Hohhot.

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The director brought his production to Hohhot after the cast and crew completed a successful 170-show run in Ulaanbaatar. They needed to test the expanded version of the play before its two-week run at the larger London Coliseum. Mongolia's theaters were too small, so they made the journey with trucks full of costumes, set pieces, and lighting, while the performers and crew flew in to set up and rehearse.

But upon their arrival, the production was interrupted. First, an unexpected activation of the fire sprinkler system caused a halt, followed by a power outage just moments before the opening night. Subsequently, the cast and crew were relocated to an alternate theater in the city of Ordos, which was a three-hour drive away. However, after setting up at the new location, the performers found themselves locked out of the building, resulting in the cancellation of all three planned shows.

The show, which opened in London's Coliseum theater on November 20, runs until December 2.

Katja Ogrin

A more muted issue

John Man, known for his authorship of several books on Mongolia and Genghis Khan, as well as his translation of "The Mongol Khan" into English for the production's surtitles, believes that it was not the content of the play that sparked the anger of Chinese authorities, but rather its cultural significance.

"They are not afraid of the performance, they are afraid of the culture and the Mongolian language," he said in an interview with CNN. Expressing concern that the Mongolians of Inner Mongolia might face a similar fate as the Uyghurs in Xinjiang, where separatist sentiments emerged in the 1990s, and were brutally suppressed in later years, drawing global condemnation, including from the UK, which accused Beijing of committing genocide in Xinjiang in 2021.

In contrast to Tibet and Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia has largely remained free of violent ethnic unrest in recent years. However, under the leadership of Xi Jinping, there is an increasing pressure to assimilate ethnic minorities, leading to the discrimination and erosion of Mongolian culture and language.

Li Cunxin, also known as Mao's Last Dancer, has been forced to leave his ballet career due to severe health issues. According to Kerry Brown, a professor of Chinese Studies at Kings College London, plays like "The Mongol Khan" were acceptable until recently, as the culture of ethnic minorities was seen as a tourist attraction. Brown co-authored a report on the difficulties and opportunities Mongolia is currently facing.

But for a country which has 95% of its exports going through China, Mongolia is hardly going to bite the hand that feeds it, Brown said via video chat. "(The play) is useful but its hardly contemporary… Its a bit old-fashioned," Brown, who lived in Inner Mongolia for several years in the mid-1990s, said. "The Mongolian government is not using this as soft propaganda, its just entertainment."

The show's costumes are based on archaeological discoveries.

Katja Ogrin

Beijings issues with the play could run deeper, he said.

"(Beijing) probably does see (the play) as Mongolian propaganda but its whether they feel threatened by it.

Chinese concern lies in how it fuels nationalism within the country, particularly in areas like Tibet, Xinjiang, and Mongolia. The government in Beijing is worried about separatist movements and the potential for setting a precedent that could lead to further fragmentation of the nation. This concern extends beyond symbolic gestures like the Dalai Lama's role in Tibetan independence and points to a more subtle but still significant threat.

Ancient history with modern relevance

The play is set more than 2,000 years ago during the Hunnic empire, well before the ruthless rule of Genghis Khan, who is undoubtedly Mongolias most famous export.

In 1206, the leader of the nomadic tribes united and established the Mongol empire by conquering vast areas of Central Asia and China. His grandson, Kublai Khan, later ruled the Yuan dynasty from 1279 to 1368, overseeing the largest land empire in human history. According to Brown, the history of the empire is still controversial and holds significant symbolism, remaining a relevant issue rather than a distant event from 800 years ago.

Curators at a museum in Nantes, France faced a live issue in 2020 when Chinese authorities objected to the use of the words "Genghis Khan", "empire", and "Mongol" in a planned exhibition about the historical figure. Despite this, the exhibition titled "Genghis Khan: How Mongols Changed the World" finally opened last month with those words included, according to a museum spokesperson.

Back in London, the play has received diverse feedback, with some describing it as "hilariously awful" and "epically boring," while others praise it as "truly spectacular in every respect." Nonetheless, the significance of the show as the first Mongolian production to tour internationally is not lost on those involved.

"The Mongol Khan" is the first Mongolian production to tour internationally.

Katja Ogrin

However, Mongolia's Minister of Culture Nomin Chinbat is hesitant to categorize the play in such a way, choosing instead to characterize its presence in London as part of a broader cultural effort aimed at reducing her country's economic reliance on its two neighbors by diversifying its economy.

Chinbat told CNN during an interview at the Mongolian Embassy in London that she has never viewed the play as a political move. However, she has always seen culture as a unifying force that connects people. She believes that culture is "borderless" and apolitical, and a highly effective means of attracting investment and tourism.

If we aim to boost Mongolia's visibility and attract tourists, and if we want to expand trade beyond neighboring countries, it is culture that can make this possible.

Chinbat expressed disappointment at the sudden cancellation of the play in Inner Mongolia, stating, "It was definitely not ideal to hear that our play was not allowed to be performed in China. However, as a nation, we value our diplomatic relationships with our neighbors and respect their internal affairs." She also expressed hope that the people in Inner Mongolia would have the opportunity to experience a production that highlights the history of their country.

Chinbat mentioned that although the Mongolian government has not offered financial support for "The Mongol Khan," they have assisted the production through various other means, including facilitating connections and coordinating public and private cooperation. This support has included providing dancers from the national dance troupe for the play.

As of last week, about 60% of the tickets had been sold, which is "good news for an unknown brand entering this market," according to co-producer Janchiv.

Regardless of whether it's propaganda, the play's opening night concluded with a standing ovation. With promoters from the US, Canada, and Taiwan reportedly in the audience, the next destination is anyone's guess.

The Chinese embassy in London has been contacted for comment.