From Hovd Travel in Mongolia
Ard Ayush
A statue of Ard Ayush (1859-1939) is located in the main square. He was a common man from Hovd, not a rich person or a warrior, who led a struggle against the governor of the Manchurians and won. As early as 1903 he opposed the Manchu tax regulations with a public petition, and led a complaint against Manchu policies to Bogd Khan, the most important Mongolian religious and political leader of the time. The people signed this famous petition in a circle, like the rays of the sun, so the Manchurians wouldn’t be able to find the leader based on the order of the signatures. After 1911 he started fighting against the Mongolian monarchs, who put him in jail where he was subject to nine different kinds of torture (illustrations of the different Manchurian torture practices are also on display at the Hovd Museum) In 1921 he joined the socialist revolutionaries, after their victory he became the governor of Tsetseg soum in Hovd aimag. True to his humble origins, the statue that honors him is wearing traditional Mongolian boots and civilian clothing. His full name is Aldarjaviin Ayush, he was given the name of "Ard" later by the people, "Ard" literally means "People" in Mongolian.
"Ard Ayush"
