Law on Culture

The Law on Culture in Mongolia, adopted in April 1996, marked a significant shift by reinstating the practice of keeping family trees and using clan names, which had been banned by the socialist regime as "feudal." Clan names are now recorded on official documents, though their everyday use is limited. This law reflects a broader effort to preserve national heritage amidst modernization and foreign influences, balancing economic development with cultural identity. Contemporary Mongolian culture blends traditional nomadic, shamanic, and Buddhist beliefs with new influences, with figures like Genghis Khan being re-appropriated in modern advertising. The government supports cultural policies, while artists' associations represent their interests following the end of state support from the socialist period.12