Last updated 9 months ago by Jessica Brooks | Published: May 17, 2020

Dashdorjiin Natsagdorj

If you’re not Mongolian, you may not have heard of Dashdorjiin Natsagdorj. Born in 1906, Natsagdorj was a seminal Mongolian poet and writer. He founded the Mongolian Writer’s Union and is considered one of the pioneers of modern Mongolian literature. Among his many works, including the 1934 opera “Three Fateful Hills,” which depicts the 1921 revolution, my favorite is the poem “Minii Nutag – My Home” which beautifully celebrates the natural beauty of Mongolia. You can find the full poem below.

Dashdorjiin Natsagdorj, illustrated by Mongolian artist Soyolmaa Tsegmid, who typically uses freehand brushwork techniques on silk or rice paper. You can explore more of her work here. Natsagdorj died an early death in 1937 shortly after being released from a short period of imprisonment during Mongolia’s Political Purges.

From 1924 to 1990, Mongolia was a communist state closely aligned with the Soviet Union. Natsagdorj’s early works from this period exemplify Mongolian “socialist realism,” a literary movement that aimed to promote socialist ideals and portray the working class’s struggles and triumphs.

“During the communist period (1924-1990) , of course, writers were strongly discouraged from addressing religious or spiritual topics.  But Mongolians had at their disposal their shamanic tradition of animism, and so writers created a literature which celebrated the land, and which honored the ancestors in the form of the grasses and the hills and the trees.”

Simon Wickham-Smith – British translator and academic

The Statue Of Dashdorjiin Natsagdorj

Image by Gary Todd, World History Photos

Located in the small park area outside the Ulaanbaatar Hotel, the statue of Dashdorjiin Natsagdorj was created by sculptor L. Makhbal. Originally erected in 1966 in the Children’s Park, the statue was moved to its current location in 2013, replacing the Lenin statue. The statue depicts the poet in the midst of his work, holding a paper and pen. Verses from his iconic poem “My Homeland” are inscribed in Classical Mongolian on the front side of the pedestal.

Mongolian literature, including Natsagdorj’s poetry, is deeply intertwined with the cycle of the seasons, landscape, and weather. It reflects Mongolia’s rich history, traditional nomadic culture, and the influences of Buddhism and Shamanism. The natural world in Mongolian literature often serves as a bridge between the human and the divine, illustrating the deep respect Mongolians have for their environment.

Natsagdorj’s ‘Minii Nutag – My Home’ is a quintessential example of this connection. The poem paints a vivid picture of Mongolia’s vast steppes, rugged mountains, and serene rivers, evoking a profound sense of place and identity. It’s a celebration of the homeland that resonates with many Mongolians and those who appreciate the beauty of nature.

For those interested in delving deeper into Mongolia’s culture, literature, and history, our webpage on Mongolia offers a curated list of films and books. These resources provide a broader context for understanding the influences behind works like Natsagdorj’s and offer a glimpse into the rich tapestry of Mongolian life.

If you’d like to read ‘Minii Nutag – My Home,’ here it is:

High stately mountains Khentei, Khangai and Soyon,
Forests and thick-wooded ridges-the beauty of the North,
The Great Gobi desert-the spaces of Menen, Sharga and Nomin,
And the oceans of sand deserts that dominate the South;
This, this is my native land,
The lovely country – My Mongolia.

The crystal rivers of sacred Kherlen, Onon and Tuul,
Brooks, streams and springs that bring health to all my people,
The blue lakes of Khovsgol, Uvs and Buir-deep and wide,
Rivers and lakes where people and cattle quench their thirst;
This, this is my native land,
The lovely country – My Mongolia.

The most beautiful rivers of Orkhon, Selenge and Khukhui,
Mountains and passes-the source of metals and stone,
Ancient structures and ruins of towns and fortresses,
Roads and highways running to distant countries;
This, this is my native land,
The lovely country – My Mongolia.

The high crowns of snow-capped mountains shining from star,
The endless virgin landscape under the clear blue sky,
The noble summits seen standing in the distance,
And the unbounded fields where one’s soul at last finds peace;
This, this is my native land,
The lovely country – My Mongolia.

The vast land of Khalkha among the deserts and highlands,
Land where we rode along and across from the green days of our youth,
Towering mountain chains where deer and wolf are hunted,
And the finest valleys where splendid horses run;
This, this is my native land,
The lovely country – My Mongolia.

The land of pure grasses waving in the breeze,
The land of open steppes full of fantastic mirages,
Firm rocks and out-of-reach places where Good men used to meet,
And the ancient ovoos-the cairns to gods and ancestors;
This, this is my native land,
The lovely country – My Mongolia.

Land of pasture heavy with grass thin and pure,
Country where all may ride and drive at will,
Country where people live freely in all seasons of the year,
And the land of fertile soil, the five grains that grow,
This, this is my native land,
The lovely country – My Mongolia.

The finest mountains-the cradles where our ancestors lie,
Where we grew up and flourished,
The land where five kinds of animals wander in the plains,
And the land saturated with the soul generations of Mongols;
This, this is my native land,
The lovely country – My Mongolia.

Land where all is covered with snow and ice in winter,
And the grasses twinkle like glass and crystal,
Land where all is a carpet of flowers in summer,
And full of songbirds from the distant lands of the South;
This, this is my native land,
The lovely country – My Mongolia.

The rich land between the Altai and Khingan mountains,
The land where my father and mother lived and blessed for us in their passing,
The land peacefully growing under the golden Sun,
And sparkling forever under the silver Moon;
This, this is my native land,
The lovely country – My Mongolia.

Land of my ancestors from the time of the Hun and Sung,
Glorious land where might of the Blue Mongols was felt,
Land that has fitted us since the morning of time,
And the land overspread by Red Banner of New Mongolia;
This, this is my native land,
The lovely country – My Mongolia.

Homeland, known from birth and growing up, is land that we dearly love,
With every invader we turned back at the very gates,
Let us increase the might of our new-born people,
And on our merits build a newer world,
This, this is my native land,
The lovely country – My Mongolia.