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Hohhot
(meaning ‘blue city’ in Mongolian) is the capital of the Inner
Mongolia Autonomous Region. The
center of Mongolian culture, it became a military and religious
center in the later Ming (late 16th century)
and Qing periods. Now the political, cultural, and industrial center of
Inner Mongolia, Hohhot is a center for wool and leather products,
building materials, iron and steel production, and fertilizer plants.
Located
in the center of Inner
Mongolia, south of the Daqingshan River, Hohhot
is 410 km (254 miles)
west of Beijing. The
city was founded only in 1581 by the Mongol Prince Altan Khan.
The Qing dynasty Kangxi Emperor maintained troops in the town after
establishing control over the Mongols. It became the capital of Inner
Mongolia in 1952.
Of
special interest to tourists is the
Mongol summer festival called Naadam, usually held around mid-August.
The festival features traditional Mongolian sports such as
wrestling, horse racing, camel racing, and archery, mostly based on
nomadic military skills.
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