In Mongolia warrior-herders used to carry a Spirit Banner (see posted photo of white banners), called SULD in Mongolian. Suld is constructed by tying strands of hair from best stallions to the shaft of a spear, just below its blade. There are two different Spirit Banners, one is white (used during the peaceful period of time) and the other is black (used during the wars). The word "Suld" has several meanings such as soul, spirit, anthem (suld duulal), symbol (suld temdeg) and good luck or fate (suld khiimori).
American scholar Jack Weatherford said in his book titled "Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World" that "Whenever Genghis Khan erected his camp, the warrior planted the Spirit Banner outside the entrance to proclaim his identity and to stand as his perpetual guardian...As the strands of hair blew and tossed in the nearly constant breeze of the steppe, they captured the power of the wind, the sky, and the sun, and the banner channeled this power from nature to the warrior. The wind in the horsehair inspired the warrior’s dreams and encouraged him to pursue his own destiny." So the Spirit Banner was used by Mongolians as an instrument to absorb the nature's power into themselves to create their own fate.
Moreover, Jack Weatherford said, when Genghis Khaan died, his spirit was said to reside forever in those tufts of horsehair. While the warrior lived, the horsehair banner carried his destiny; in death, it became his soul. The physical body was quickly abandoned to nature, but the soul lived on forever in those tufts of horsehair to inspire future generations. This is the main reason why Mongolians worship in the Spirit Banners, place them in the Government House and consider them more precious than any golden statue of Buddha or any other religious icons.
When ancient Mongolians faced troubles they used to say "Turiin mini SULD urshuu" which means "Please bless me my State Spirit Banner". It proves that ancient Mongolians used to worship in the souls of our ancestors and believed more in their own State (or Government) rather than God.
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