Etiquette

The language of Mongolian etiquette has developed for centuries. It includes behavioral stereotypes for all life situations: particular speech, gestures, look, poses, etc. Thus, one must know where and how one can sit. The Mongols can sit anywhere, they do not need chairs or benches, but they take specific poses. Men and women, the young and the old sit in a yurt in different ways, and a festive pose can be different from an everyday one. The most common pose is “to sit with legs bended” (bohirch suukh). The sitting person bends one leg and sits on it, put forward the other leg’s knee and leans his arm on it. Women sit on the right leg and put forward their left knee, men, on the contrary, sit on the left leg and put forward their right knee. But in all cases the knee must point to the door. Lamas in monasteries during prayers and celebrations sit with their legs crossed; in the same way noble people sit at official receptions.

In rural areas people mostly squat down – “eagle’s seat” (burgeden suudal). It is connected with the national shoes – gutul-boots. A person leans against the floor with their turned-up noses, and firm, rigid tops of boots serve as a comfortable seat. The Mongols can sit in these boots in such pose for hours, and that would be impossible in modern shoes. A special children’s pose is “to stretch one’s legs” (holl zhiikh): that’s how small babies who can’t walk are seated on the floor.

Sitting woman.  Mongolia, Ulan-Bator. Mongols. 1930s.		Walls of a yurt are constructed of wooden bars. The roof-supporting poles are fixed to the woodern bars. Mongolia. The Mongols. Ivanov D., 2006.