Language education, intellectuals and symbolic representation: Being an urban Mongolian in a new configuration of social evolution

In China, the Han language is dominant, accompanied by the explicit and implicit values, beliefs, purposes and activities which characterize the enduring efforts of nation‐builders. In Inner Mongolia, nearly a quarter of the Mongolian population use Chinese only, and recently there is a downward trend for Mongolian education in urban areas, leading to the demise of the language and thereby Mongolian culture. This article traces the development of ethnic language education and its subsequent effect on members of the minority culture.