Oriental Studies (Jun 2018)
The New Source in the «Clear Script» on the History of the Dzungar Khanate (1635-1758)
Abstract
In the 80s of the 20th century the Oirat writing in «todo bičig» («clear script») was found in China. In 1987 it was published under the title «Mongɤol-un uɤeki-yin bičig» («The Origin of the Mongols») with the explanatory notes in the collection «The Oirat Historical Sources» in Inner Mongolia. Though its title is «The Origin of the Mongols», this does not correspond to its contents. It is especially devoted to the Oirats (Western Mongols), mainly to the events which had a direct bearing to the history of the Dzungar Khanate (1635-1758). It has been until very recently that the only sources of information on the Oirats and the Dzungar Khanate were the Mongol mediaeval chronicles, the Russian archival documents and the works of the Chinese traditional historiography. The study of such Oirat writings as «The Origin of the Mongols» permits to restore a more impartial picture of the past because it contains several interesting and valuable facts which are not available in other sources (about the high-ranking Tibetan lama Ense-khutuqtu, Yüm-Aɤa, the wife of the Dzungar ruler Batur-khungtayiǰi, Galdan Boshoqtu-khan). Though the author of «The Origin of the Mongols» treats the events from the perspective of the Ge-lugs-pa (Yellow Hat) sect of Tibetan Buddhism, they contain reflection of some real historical events. This affords the possibility to watch them «from inside», to realize the logic of human doings in the past and some perception of reality.
