介绍:
In history books, Genghis Khan is considered to be one of the most brutal and feared leaders and conquerors. Born in a tent and grew up on horseback, the Mongol warrior eventually expanded his empire from the Sea of Japan to Central Europe. But unlike his European counterparts, Genghis Khan led his people from backs of horses.
This, along with the nomadic lifestyle of the Mongols, was what fascinated Australian writer and adventurer Tim Cope and led him to follow the trail of Genghis Khan across dry and arid deserts, up the snow-covered icy trails of the Caucasus Mountains and to the banks of the Danube River.
"The Mongols and Genghis Khan as a leader, he turns everything on its head in terms of our assumptions about what world empires should look like. We all imagine the emperor or the king should be some aristocrat sitting on a throne in a castle. And the empire should be one that builds roads and castles and leave some legacy. But here, you have the Mongols who created the largest empire that's ever been and yet, Genghis Khan was a nomadic person. He wasn't the typical image we have of a leader so that's what really intrigued me. I wanted to know who these Mongolian people really were."
Cope started his preparations 18 months before the journey. He did everything from reading about the history and the culture of the nomadic people to learning to ride horses, which is one of his biggest fears.
So in the summer of 2004, he ventured into the land of the nomads, traveling from Mongolia to Kazakhstan, Southern Russia, Ukraine and Hungary. However, nothing can prepare him for the extreme and dramatic climate of the Steppes.
"It's very difficult for anyone who has never been to that environment to understand how harsh it is. It's really harsh. It's not just a fairy tale. It's really minus 50 and plus 50. When there's no grass, the animals starve and the people struggle. Before the winter of 2004/2005, I met one Kazakh man who had three hundred horses. By the end of the winter, he only had one horse left. It's an environment where a rich man could become a poor man in one night."
What impressed Cope the most on his three-year journey was the perseverance and hospitality of the people he met along the way. No matter how terrible the weather is or what kind of misfortunes might have befallen upon them, the people were uncomplaining and moved on with their life.
On his journey, Cope was welcomed by Mongols, Kazakhs, Cossacks and other ethnic and nomadic groups. He not only learned about different ethnic cultures through his 6000 miles trek across Asia and Europe, he also gained more respect and appreciation for the Mongols warriors that came before him.
"I became extremely aware of how hardened they were, how strong and how skilled they must've been to go through that environment to keep their horses alive let alone get to the end and then fight a war."
He arrived at his final destination in the 800th year celebrations of the founding of the Mongolian empire.
With a video camera, Cope documented his entire journey. Since his return, he has made a documentary and written a book about his travels. He hopes that by watching his film and reading his book, people will get a glimpse of a way of life that's rarely seen in modern society.
"The nomadic life is a very different way of life. It's an alternative approach to life. The most important thing about nomadic culture is the way in which nomadic people, in particular Mongolians, live in harmony with the landscape. It's a great example we all need to aspire to."
And he's not quite done yet. Cope says he is planning to write a children's book based on his travels as well as making a documentary on the nomadic people of Western Mongolia.
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