몽골의 문화 코드: 유목성 개념을 중심으로 = Mongolia’s Culture Codes - Focusing on the Concept of Nomadism

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Today, nomads are facing increasing difficulties in meeting basic livelihood needs such as housing and safety. There is no expectation for them to be granted social security equivalent to that of settled people. They have voluntarily chosen to survive in the barren wilderness, living with their livestock. For nomads, the relationship between humans and nature, and between humans and livestock, is fundamentally one of partnership and symbiosis. Mongolia’s national identity is so closely linked to the nomadic identity of its herders that they are indistinguishable from each other. It’s no exaggeration to say that for a Mongolian, saying “I am a Mongolian” is synonymous with saying “I am a nomad.” This is the reason why, in this study, we define “nomadism” as Mongolia’s culture codes and, by examining its details, explore Mongolia’s cultural identity. In the introduction, we will outline why Mongolia is a nation of nomads, and how nomadism serves as both the root and trunk, as well as the inner and outer aspects, of Mongolian culture and civilization. In Chapter 2, the main text, we will broadly categorize the culture codes that characterize Mongolian nomadism into three categories: i) ecological mobility and the flexibility of life, ii) the orientation toward universal human values ​ reflecting regional specificity, and iii) the ethics of hospitality and coexistence with others. We will then explain these concepts in more detail by connecting them to regional daily culture, food, and folklore. Finally, in the conclusion, while reconsidering the trends of Neo-Nomadism and Post-Nomadism that are being newly discussed with the emergence of the Digital-Nomad generation, we will emphasize that the agents responsible for protecting, preserving, and creating the history and culture of Mongolia—collectively represented by nomadism—are none other than the Mongolian people themselves.