Genghis Can’t: Exhibition closed over Chinese demands to not use words ‘Genghis Khan’
Director says ‘we made this decision to stop this production in the name of the human, scientific and ethical values that we defend’
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A museum in France said it decided to postpone an exhibit about the Mongol emperor Genghis Khan citing interference by the Chinese government, which has accused it of trying to rewrite history.
The Chateau des ducs de Bretagne history museum in the western city of Nantes said it was putting the show about the 13th century leader on hold for over three years.
In a statement on Monday, the museum's director, Bertrand Guillet, said "we made the decision to stop this production in the name of the human, scientific and ethical values that we defend."
It alleged the Chinese authorities demanded certain words, including "Genghis Khan", "Empire" and "Mongol" be taken out of the show. It also said that they asked for power over exhibition brochures, legends and maps.
It comes as China takes a tougher stance against ethnic Mongols, many of whom live in the northern province of Inner Mongolia.
The exhibit was planned in collaboration with the Inner Mongolia Museum in Hohhot, China.
Tensions arose, the Nantes museum said, when the Chinese Bureau of Cultural Heritage pressured the museum for changes to the original plan, “including notably elements of biased rewriting of Mongol culture in favour of a new national narrative.”
The museum branded the changes “censorship” and said it underlined a “hardening … of the position of the Chinese government against the Mongolian minority”.
Additional reporting by Associated Press
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments