Cultural Revolution and Repression of Mongolian Ethnic Identity

During the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), treatment of the Mongols in China reached its lowest point [Harris, Sanders, & Lattimore, 2019]. There was widespread killing of Mongol people, and while official figures state 16,222 Mongols died, some claim the number to be as high as 100,000 [Minority Rights Group International, 2017]. During this period, the Mongol language was banned throughout the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (IMAR), while the Chinese Communist Party established a program for the aggressive promotion of Mandarin [Bulag, 2003]. Furthermore, the increased stigma attached to Mongolian names, along with the threat of violence, led to the widespread adoption of traditional Chinese names [Bulag, 2003].