Long, long ago, the Mongols lived a nomadic life, "moving with water and grass." There, the sky was vast and blue, the wilderness endless, and the wind blowing low over the grass revealed herds of cattle and sheep. It was on this vast grassland that Genghis Khan, the "Genghis Khan" of a generation, was born.
Genghis Khan's real name was Temujin. "Genghis Khan" was a title bestowed upon him later. "Genghis" means "ocean," and "Khan" is the emperor we commonly refer to; thus, Genghis Khan means "an emperor like the ocean."
Regarding the name "Temujin," there is a story behind it. In the year 1162 AD, the Mongol chieftain Yesugei Bahadur defeated the Tatar tribe and captured their leader, also named Temujin. When Yesugei Bahadur returned to his old camp by the Onon River, his wife Hö'elün gave birth to their first son. She said to him, "Give the child a name." Overjoyed, he casually replied, "Call him Temujin." It is said that when Temujin was born, he tightly clutched a clot of coagulated blood in his hand—a sign, according to Mongols, of an extraordinary destiny.
When Temujin was nine years old, his father, Yesugei Bahadur, was poisoned to death by the Tatars. Upon Yesugei's death, his followers immediately scattered like birds and beasts, abandoning Temujin and his mother and defecting to the Tayichi'ud. Upon hearing this news, Temujin's mother immediately grabbed a spear and mounted her horse to chase after them. But these men said, "Deep water has dried up; bright stones have shattered. We cannot revive." They refused to turn back, and only a few were brought back by her pursuit. Temujin's family fell into hardship and, under his mother's leadership, survived by gathering fruits and digging up grass roots, living a difficult life.
As Temujin grew, he continuously gathered his scattered followers, and his power grew stronger day by day. Fearing that once he became powerful he would seek revenge, the Tayichi'ud launched an attack with their army. Outnumbered, Temujin quickly mounted his horse and fled into a dense forest. The enemy surrounded the woods, captured him, and put an iron collar around his neck. Remaining calm, Temujin waited until nightfall, then used his mouth to pull a hidden knife from his boot and cut the chain. He escaped from the tent, knocked down the guard, and ran out like the wind. To evade pursuit, he hid in a small river, leaving only his nose above water. In the moonlight, the enemy carefully searched the woods and the river. A man named Sorkan Shira spotted him at once. Admiring Temujin's courage, he not only refrained from reporting him but protected him from capture, gave him horses and dry provisions, and let him return to his own camp.
Soon after reuniting with his mother, the Tayichi'ud stole their horses again. Temujin mounted his horse and pursued the enemy. After three consecutive days of chasing, both man and horse were exhausted. At this point, he met a young man and asked him about the whereabouts of the horses. The young man, admiring Temujin's character, immediately joined him in pursuing the enemy. They finally recovered the horses, and the two thus formed a deep friendship. This young man was Temujin's first "Nuker" (meaning "companion")—Borjigin Bo'orchu.
Temujin held Bo'orchu in high esteem. He owned a famous horse named "Kö'ki Börle," which sweated bright red, like blood—hence its name "sweat-blood horse." Once, he lent this horse to Bo'orchu to pursue the enemy, repeatedly instructing him, "To make it run, just gently stroke its mane; never whip it!" But in the heat of battle, Bo'orchu forgot his words. No matter how much he whipped it, the horse wouldn't move. However, when he inadvertently stroked the mane, the horse shot forward like lightning. Bo'orchu charged into the enemy ranks like a tiger among wolves, extraordinarily brave, annihilating the enemy and returning victorious without a scratch.
Temujin gathered many "Nukers." Besides Bo'orchu, Muqali, Borghu, and Chila'un, known as the "Four Greats," he also had a renowned archer named Jebe. Jebe was a Tayichi'ud; his bow was heavier than ordinary men's, and his arrows could pierce rocks. In tribal battles, he was exceptionally brave, never missing a shot, killing many of Temujin's brave warriors. Later, when the Tayichi'ud were defeated, Jebe was severely wounded. Temujin, seeking revenge for his fallen warriors, ordered that Jebe must be captured alive. Despite his severe injuries, Jebe remained fierce and resilient, killing two pursuers with his last three arrows and then firing a final arrowhead-less arrow at Temujin. With a "swoosh," Temujin's helmet plume fell off, making him break out in a cold sweat. But Jebe was still captured.
After capturing Jebe alive, Temujin not only spared his life but personally poured him a cup of wine and asked him to submit. Grateful for being spared, Jebe henceforth joined him. Thus, through his righteousness and bravery, Temujin gathered a large number of brave warriors around him. At this time, he married his first wife, Börte, and recognized Wang Khan, the leader of the Kereyid tribe and his father Yesugei Bahadur's "Anda" (sworn brother), as his adoptive father, giving Temujin a powerful patron.
While still not fully established, Temujin was again attacked by the Merkits, and his wife Börte was captured in the conflict. The Merkits, friendly with Wang Khan, sent her to him. Considering himself Temujin's adoptive father, Wang Khan sent her back. On the way home, Börte gave birth to a child. Due to the dangerous journey, they couldn't stop to prepare swaddling clothes, so the attendants wrapped the baby in a ball of flour, finally returning safely home. This child was Temujin's eldest son, Jochi. To avenge the abduction of his wife, Temujin allied with Wang Khan and his own "Anda" Jamukha, decisively defeating the Merkits and reclaiming the looted property. After this war, Temujin's strength grew even stronger, no longer needing to rely on Jamukha or Wang Khan. Soon, he was elected leader of the nobles, at the age of 28.
Temujin's sworn brother Jamukha could not bear his growing power. Out of jealousy and hatred, he allied with the Tayichi'ud to attack Temujin. Temujin led his troops in a brave resistance, engaging the enemy in the famous "Battle of the Thirteen Wings" on the northern Mongolian grasslands. Temujin arranged his forces into 13 large circles, one inside the other, firmly protecting himself at the center. Using this formation, they annihilated 30,000 enemies and set up 70 large cauldrons in the woods by the river, boiling the captives alive.
The unrepentant Jamukha allied with the Naimans and remnants of nobles defeated by Temujin, once again declaring war on him. This motley group elected Jamukha as Gur-khan. When attacking Temujin, they invited a Naiman shaman, attempting to defeat Temujin with magic. The shaman chanted spells and had everyone throw various stones into water, instantly causing heavy snow to fall. But fate could not be defied—the blizzard blew back towards them. The shaman hastily ended the ritual, leading everyone to flee into the mountains, where they became trapped by the snowstorm. The severe cold frostbitten the soldiers' hands and feet, and the blizzard caused many people and animals to fall from the mountains and die. Seeing that all was lost, Jamukha no longer dared to be Gur-khan, hastily surrendering with his troops. Temujin thus won this battle without losing a single soldier.
Time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, Temujin's eldest son Jochi had come of age. Temujin sought a marriage between Jochi and Wang Khan's granddaughter, but the arrogant Wang Khan and his son looked down on Temujin and rejected the proposal. Humiliated, Temujin finally resolved to no longer be Wang Khan's tame "Haidongqing" (a falcon, which Mongols trained for hunting and presented to the elite). When Jamukha learned of this, he immediately incited Wang Khan, saying, "Temujin wants to betray you. He has been secretly communicating with your enemy Toghrul for a long time—I saw it with my own eyes." Wang Khan initially didn't believe it, but after repeated provocations, he finally accepted Jamukha's slander. The two devised a treacherous plan: they sent someone to tell Temujin that Wang Khan had agreed to the marriage proposal and invited him to a betrothal banquet. Temujin believed it and immediately set off with his attendants. On the way, his mount "Kö'ki Börle" kept refusing to move, vigorously shaking its body as if trying to throw its master off. Initially angry, Temujin eventually sensed an ominous sign and told Wang Khan's messenger, "My horse is tired. I need to rest it before going. Let my attendants go ahead to prepare." Thus, he sent the messenger back and returned to his base, miraculously avoiding death.
Jamukha's first plot failed, so he devised another. He persuaded Wang Khan to secretly launch an attack on Temujin while he was unprepared. Coincidentally, one of Wang Khan's guards overheard this. He went home and told his wife, who was from Temujin's tribe. She immediately sent a fast horse with a message, reporting to Temujin. By now, Wang Khan's army was approaching Temujin's camp. Temujin, with few troops and weak position, saw everyone with their heads down, stroking their horses' manes, hesitating. Should they fight or surrender? At this moment, Temujin's sworn brother, Qutuqa Beki, spoke up: "Temujin, my good Anda, let me ride forward, plant our great banner behind the enemy lines, and boost our army's morale! If I die, I have only one request: my brother, you must raise my son to adulthood!" Temujin patted his shoulder and nodded. Qutuqa Beki immediately spurred his horse, charging like an arrow towards Wang Khan's army. Under the arrow cover from his comrades behind, he broke through layer after layer of encirclement, planting the banner on a hill behind the enemy. Temujin's army was greatly emboldened, charging left and right, annihilating large numbers of enemies. However, Wang Khan's forces were simply too numerous. To preserve strength, Temujin chose not to fight for temporary honor and retreated with his troops. Wang Khan pursued relentlessly, forcing Temujin to retreat to a marshland. This place was desolate and barren, devoid of people. The few springs weren't even enough for livestock to drink, so they had to drink muddy water, even squeezing water from sludge to quench their thirst. With nothing to eat in the marsh, they hunted wild horses for food. Later, all those who followed Temujin in "drinking from the Bajidin River together" were ennobled as meritorious officials.
Soon, Temujin led his troops to Donggeze, where he regrouped his scattered forces and sent envoys to seek peace with Wang Khan, to lull him into a false sense of security while building up his strength. Temujin sent an envoy with a letter to Wang Khan, a letter so heartfelt it brought tears:
"Adoptive father Wang Khan, why do you treat me like this? When you were defeated by the Khitans, wasn't it I who saved you? When you fled to me, half-starved and half-naked, I didn't let you suffer even half a day of cold, covering your entire body with the finest silk, and I recovered all your horses for you. Have you forgotten? We attacked the Merkits together, and after victory, I gave you all the wealth I seized. On our way back, the Naimans attacked you, looting you completely. I immediately sent the brave and invincible 'Four Greats' to recover these things and returned them all to you. My Khan-father, I flew like an eagle over mountains and across the fishing sea, catching for you one gray-legged crane after another. I was like one of the two wheels on your cart, silently serving you without regard for personal gain or loss. If one wheel of the cart breaks, even the strongest ox can't pull it..."
After reading this letter, Wang Khan was deeply ashamed. He drove away the instigator Jamukha and made peace with Temujin.
Temujin regrouped his troops, gradually recovering his strength, determined to completely break free from Wang Khan and avenge this crushing defeat.
One day, he learned that Wang Khan was setting up a golden tent, feasting and entertaining himself, completely unprepared. Temujin then led a large army to launch a surprise attack on Wang Khan, secretly surrounding his camp and suddenly launching an assault. After three days and nights of intense fighting, they finally crushed Wang Khan's main force. Wang Khan fled with his remaining troops in disarray, filled with regret all the way. Misfortune struck: at the border of the Naiman territory, he was recognized by a Naiman border guard. To claim credit, the guard unhesitatingly killed Wang Khan and presented his head to Toghrul. Toghrul, who had always admired Wang Khan, thus had Wang Khan's head inlaid with silver and placed it on his own throne as a sign of respect.
Toghrul was shocked that the backward Mongols had actually defeated the former "old emperor" Wang Khan. Could it be that Temujin truly wanted to become emperor? Arrogant in his own strength, Toghrul contacted Jamukha and others, deciding to launch a military campaign against Temujin.
Toghrul was a boastful and arrogant man, yet he was also naturally afraid of his wife. Before setting out, he bragged to his beloved concubine Gurbesu, "I will seize Temujin's bow and arrows and trample them underfoot! I will abduct the beautiful women of Mongolia to be my concubines." But when his concubine glared at him, he was so frightened he immediately changed his words: "Even if Mongolian women are beautiful, they can only be given as maidservants to the queen." Only after seeing the concubine smile did he dare to set out.
Toghrul's massive army approached. Several of Temujin's men were afraid and said to him, "Our horses are thin; let's temporarily avoid their edge. Let's fatten our horses and attack in autumn!" Temujin's uncle immediately countered, "Warriors, why use thin horses as an excuse? We must not wait for Toghrul to come and capture us; we should march out to capture Toghrul!"
Another brave warrior also said, "If Toghrul takes our quivers, our bones will never be buried together. Though he has vast territories and numerous herds, this won't intimidate us. We will still achieve victory, seize their quivers, and trample them underfoot!"
Thus, Temujin led his troops into battle. He appointed Jebe as vanguard and allied with the Ongud tribe to fight Toghrul together. Before the battle, coincidentally, a light-colored horse dragging a saddle ran from Temujin's position to Toghrul's front. Seeing the horse was thin, Toghrul was delighted and said to his troops, "The Mongols' horses are thin. We can pretend to retreat, lure them to pursue, exhaust their thin horses until they collapse, while our horses are strong and agile. We can then counterattack and achieve a great victory." Before he finished speaking, his brother-in-law spoke up, "In the past, the old king never let anyone see his back in battle. Now you are showing cowardice. It seems I must go fetch my sister, Queen Gurbesu!" With that, the rash young man angrily turned to leave. Terrified, Toghrul had no choice but to immediately launch his army.
By this time, Temujin had already dispersed his troops across the Sarai Steppe, ordering each man to light five campfires to create a false impression of strength. This tactic indeed frightened Toghrul's scouts, who hurriedly returned to report, "The Mongol army has spread across the Sarai Steppe, seemingly receiving reinforcements every day. The fires burning at night are as numerous as stars!"
Seeing this, the ever-opportunistic Jamukha took the chance to slip away with his troops. Toghrul, who had once boasted of leaving not even the hoof-prints of a lamb for Temujin, now also became suspicious and fearful. The result was that when the two armies clashed, Toghrul's forces naturally suffered a crushing defeat and fled. Toghrul, severely wounded in many places, hid on a concealed hillside, struggling to get up and fight again, but ultimately collapsed from the severity of his injuries. At this moment, his young warrior boasted to the others, "Let me say a few words to him; I will surely revive him!" He said to Toghrul, "Khan, we are below; let us charge up the hill and fight!" Toghrul didn't move at all. So the warrior said again, "Toghrul, your beloved concubine Gurbesu is all dressed up, waiting for your triumphant return! Do you know what she looks like when she's angry?" Before he finished speaking, Toghrul immediately struggled to get up, but seeing no beloved concubine around, he collapsed again. At this point, Toghrul's army had been forced into the steep mountains, with many falling from cliffs and trampling each other, resulting in heavy casualties. Seeing the situation was lost, the impetuous young warrior, to avoid being captured alive by Temujin, had his own men fight each other until they were all dead. Temujin witnessed this tragic scene with his own eyes and sighed, "A ruler who has such warriors—what is there to grieve about?"
In this war, Jamukha finally met his fate, captured by his own followers and delivered to Temujin.
In the golden tent, Temujin executed the followers who had betrayed their master for personal gain. With tears in his eyes, he took from his bosom the tokens of brotherhood he had exchanged with Jamukha long ago—a small bow and arrow—and returned them to Jamukha. Jamukha received them expressionlessly and returned to Temujin the stone bullet Temujin had given him. Temujin said to him, "Jamukha Anda, I killed your followers to avenge you. But you have always been my enemy. Today, our bond of brotherhood is severed. I can only kill you to uphold military law." Jamukha lowered his head, and because of jealousy, he finally met his end.
Temujin unified the entire northern desert, and his ambition to dominate the world increasingly revealed itself. At that time, the Mongols generally believed in Shamanism, with the supreme deity being the Eternal Blue Sky. People also believed that shamans could communicate with heaven and convey the will of the Eternal Blue Sky. At this time, a man appeared who, on extremely cold winter nights, often walked naked into the wilderness and deep mountains. He was the famous shaman Kokochu. He told people, "I have seen heaven. The Eternal Blue Sky told me, 'I have already given the world to Temujin and his descendants.'"
In the spring of 1206, the 45-year-old Temujin finally raised the Nine White Banners at the Kurultai (Assembly of Nobles) by the Onon River and proclaimed himself Genghis Khan.