When people hear the word Mongolia, they often think of the independent country to the north of China. But fewer people know about Southern Mongolia — a region inside China's borders where millions of ethnic Mongolians live under strict political control and cultural repression.

So who are Southern Mongolians? And are they Chinese? The answer is both simple and complex.

Mongolia’s spiritual history is shaped by ancient Tengrism and shamanism, later blended with Tibetan Buddhism. From sacred mountain worship to the rise of Buddhist monasteries, Mongolian religion reflects a unique and resilient synthesis. Even after suppression under communism, both traditions are thriving today.

Mongolian wrestling, or Bökh, is a traditional sport with deep cultural significance in both Mongolia and Southern Mongolia. With no weight classes or time limits, it tests strength, skill, and endurance. Practised during festivals like Naadam, it remains a symbol of identity and resistance. Mongolian wrestlers have also gained international recognition, especially in Olympic sports and Japanese sumo, where several have reached the top rank of yokozuna.

The repression of Southern Mongolians by the Chinese Communist Party began in 1947 with the creation of the so-called Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Promised autonomy turned into decades of surveillance, cultural erasure, and violence. From the mass purges of the Cultural Revolution to the modern-day banning of our language and displacement of herders, this is not a historical issue — it is an ongoing struggle. As Mongolians, we continue to fight for our identity, our land, and the right to exist without fear.

When people think of the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976), they often picture chaotic student rallies, destroyed temples, or purged officials in Beijing. But less known—often deliberately buried—are the brutal campaigns in Inner Mongolia, where ethnic Mongolians were targeted, tortured, and killed under the banner of “ethnic unity” and “revolutionary purity.

When people think of Southern Mongolia, they often imagine endless grasslands, nomadic herders, and a culture rooted in the rhythms of nature. But behind this romantic image lies a harsher reality—one of forced demographic change, cultural erasure, and systematic repression. Over the past century, the Chinese state has engineered waves of Han Chinese immigration into Southern Mongolia, transforming it from a Mongolian homeland into a Han-dominated colony.

As a Southern Mongolian, watching our mother tongue being stripped from our schools feels like watching the lifeblood of our identity being drained—slowly, methodically, and mercilessly. The Chinese government's so-called "bilingual education" policy is not about giving us more opportunities or helping us integrate. It’s about forced assimilation. It’s about erasing who we are. Image source: VOA News

Beijing’s repression in Southern Mongolia differs from Xinjiang and Tibet by using subtle tactics like language bans, re-education, political purges, and legal manipulation. This quiet cultural erasure avoids global attention but serves the same goal—eliminating Mongolian identity through forced assimilation and promoting a Han-centric national ideology.

Southern Mongolia is rich in coal and rare earth minerals that fuel China's industrial growth, but the local communities receive little benefit. This blog exposes how the Chinese government extracts resources from Southern Mongolia while leaving behind environmental damage, economic inequality, and cultural erosion.

This article provides an overview of the Inner Mongolian People’s Party (IMPP)—a political organisation formed in exile to campaign for human rights, cultural preservation, and self-determination for the people of Southern Mongolia. Founded in New York in 1997 by Mongolian intellectuals and activists, the IMPP has become a major voice in international discussions on ethnic policy, repression, and autonomy in China's Inner Mongolia region. With branches across the world, the party remains active in lobbying, publishing, and mobilising support for its cause. Source: Southern Mongolian Human Rights Information Center – Overview of Inner Mongolian Separatist Organisations Abroad

The Southern Mongolian Human Rights Information Center (SMHRIC) is the frontline of our international resistance. Led by fellow Southern Mongolians, it exposes the Chinese regime’s systematic efforts to erase our identity. SMHRIC gives our people a voice when speaking out means prison back home.