S.Batchuluun: Standards must be set for the Soyombo national symbol
During 1945s, the Mongolian renowned writer and scholar B.Renchin mentioned in his essay: “Fish never close their eyes, in fact there is a shape of two fish in the center of soyombo symbol to show the idea of being alert and careful. The two fish are ‘arga bilig’ or yin-yang which represent male and female, and in the soyombo they rotate in the counterclockwise direction. This symbolizes that everyone has to stand against the enemies of their country.” However, nowadays this meaningful idea behind the symbols has faded and people who draw or make the soyombo depict the rotating fish in a clockwise or a counterclockwise direction or in whatever way they want. Undesnii Shuudan newspaper spoke about it with art critic S.Batchuluun who has studied the Soyombo symbol for several years. -When did your interest in the Soyombo symbol begin?
-I was born in Otgon sum of Zavkhan Province and grew up on the side of Otgontenger Mountain. When I was a child there were ovoos on only higher mountains or hills. I saw Soyombo symbols on several big ovoos and the two fish were drawn rotating in the counterclockwise direction. Also at school I read an essay about the Soyombo symbol by B.Renchin. It was explained that the two fish in the Soyombo symbolize the alertness and circumspection because fish never close their eyes. They were designed rotating in the counterclockwise direction because this meant that one would oppose anything for his or her country. During the time of Bogd Khan, the two fish of the Soyombo which were on official documents and stamps, the gold stamp of Bogd Khan, and on honorary medal were all in the counterclockwise direction. From all the above mentioned examples it is proven that the fish were in the counterclockwise direction.
-When do you think the fish turned in a clockwise direction?
-It is said that Bogd Khan first placed the Soyombo symbol on the flag of Mongolia. Since the Bogd Khan passed away in 1924, the symbol was treated as a possession of Buddhism and feudalism and it was changed a lot. Later in the 1980s, people who renewed the exhibits of the Revolution Museum made the two fish in the Soyombo symbol rotate in the clockwise direction intentionally or unintentionally.
-But Mongolians prefer the clockwise direction. Why make them move counterclockwise?
-The main idea behind it is to confront or stand against things for your country. When we were children, our parents would make us rotate a cup of water around us three times in a clockwise direction and three times counterclockwise if we got sick. They believed that rotating in counterclockwise direction cures the illness, and in a clockwise direction brings calmness. I’m not saying that the counterclockwise direction is good by this. I think that we should set a standard for Soyombo as it is a national symbol. In other words, the government should make legal standards to set the Soyombo symbol. Otherwise, people are making it in many different ways and entangling the meaning of the national symbol.
-Are there any laws or regulations regarding the Soyombo symbol?
-The use of Soyombo symbol is authorized by law. However, it is not stated how the symbol should be depicted. That’s why it is being made in many different variations. Last year only the standard color of Soyombo was approved but not for other shapes. I wrote a letter to the President regarding this issue. But he hasn’t made any decision about this for about a year.
-I was born in Otgon sum of Zavkhan Province and grew up on the side of Otgontenger Mountain. When I was a child there were ovoos on only higher mountains or hills. I saw Soyombo symbols on several big ovoos and the two fish were drawn rotating in the counterclockwise direction. Also at school I read an essay about the Soyombo symbol by B.Renchin. It was explained that the two fish in the Soyombo symbolize the alertness and circumspection because fish never close their eyes. They were designed rotating in the counterclockwise direction because this meant that one would oppose anything for his or her country. During the time of Bogd Khan, the two fish of the Soyombo which were on official documents and stamps, the gold stamp of Bogd Khan, and on honorary medal were all in the counterclockwise direction. From all the above mentioned examples it is proven that the fish were in the counterclockwise direction.
-When do you think the fish turned in a clockwise direction?
-It is said that Bogd Khan first placed the Soyombo symbol on the flag of Mongolia. Since the Bogd Khan passed away in 1924, the symbol was treated as a possession of Buddhism and feudalism and it was changed a lot. Later in the 1980s, people who renewed the exhibits of the Revolution Museum made the two fish in the Soyombo symbol rotate in the clockwise direction intentionally or unintentionally.
-But Mongolians prefer the clockwise direction. Why make them move counterclockwise?
-The main idea behind it is to confront or stand against things for your country. When we were children, our parents would make us rotate a cup of water around us three times in a clockwise direction and three times counterclockwise if we got sick. They believed that rotating in counterclockwise direction cures the illness, and in a clockwise direction brings calmness. I’m not saying that the counterclockwise direction is good by this. I think that we should set a standard for Soyombo as it is a national symbol. In other words, the government should make legal standards to set the Soyombo symbol. Otherwise, people are making it in many different ways and entangling the meaning of the national symbol.
-Are there any laws or regulations regarding the Soyombo symbol?
-The use of Soyombo symbol is authorized by law. However, it is not stated how the symbol should be depicted. That’s why it is being made in many different variations. Last year only the standard color of Soyombo was approved but not for other shapes. I wrote a letter to the President regarding this issue. But he hasn’t made any decision about this for about a year.
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