Yet for a leader of his time, Genghis was remarkably down-to-earth; he walked the talk. While he expected obeisance, he never portrayed himself as godlike—indeed, he never allowed anyone to paint his portrait, sculpt his image, or engrave his name or likeness on a coin. In a letter to a Taoist monk, Genghis spoke of himself as just another soldier, saying, “I have not myself distinguished qualities,” and adding, “I continue to wear the same clothing and eat the same food as the cowherds and horse-herders. We make the same sacrifices, and we share the riches.”
