‘The Story of Usun Debeskertu Khan’: Didactic Essentials

Abstract

The Story of Usun Debeskertu Khan is a most famous Oirat (Kalmyk) Clear Script literary composition. The text consists of homilies delivered by Tibetan King Tri Palpachen and his sixteen senior executives. It was translated into Oirat after Clear Script was created in 1648. Its popularity and widest distribution are attested by multiple copies included into Mongolian-language manuscript collections of Russia, Mongolia and China. The colophon says the translation was made by Gushi Nomin Khan and ordered by Kendulen Khurmusta Khan. Thus, the composition was created in Tibet not until the 10th century AD. In the mid-17th century, the Tri Ralpachen’s didactic collection was translated into Oirat by the renown Khoshut ruler — a prominent figure in the history of Dzungaria and Tibet — Gushi Nomin Khan at the request of his brother Kendulen Ubushi. The earliest publication was made by Kalmyk emigres in 1927.

Keywords

• usun debeskertu khan’s homilies
• oirat translation
• manuscript copies
• author of the translation
• earliest publication