Ethnic Identities of Oirats and Kalmyks in the Tibetan Religious Tradition: Mitsangs of Drepung Gomang Monastery
https://doi.org/10.22162/2619-0990-2020-52-6-1546-1557
Abstract
Introduction. Contemporary Kalmyk studies are characterized by that there are still a number of insufficiently explored issues dealing with the shaping of the Kalmyk ethnos, including that of identities of their ancestors within materials related to the religious tradition. Goals. The article seeks to reveal the ties between identities of Kalmyks and Oirats ― and fellow countrymen communities of Drepung Gomang Monastery at earliest stages of Buddhist history among the Mongolic peoples. Results. The work clarifies the specific features of identifying Oirats and Kalmyks through the prism of the Tibetan monastic tradition, and shows the historical changes of identity-related terms. Currently, Drepung Gomang comprises a total of 16 countrymen communities-kangtsens (Tib. khang-tshan) further divided into 22 mitsans (Tib. mi-tshang), i. e. local communities. Representatives of Mongolia and students from Russia’s Buryatia and Tyva are included in Samlo Kangtsen (Tib. bSam-blo Khang-tshan), and the latter’s ten mitsans comprise one referred to as Khalkha Mitsan. As for Kalmyk students, they are affiliated to Hardong Kangtsen (Tib. Har-gdong Khang-tshan) that numbers nine mitsans, and those related to Oirats, Southern Mongols and Kalmyks are Tsokha, Joorche, and Thorgo (Torghut) ones. The emergence of Thorgo and Tsokha Mitsans is closely tied to the history of Oirats and Kalmyks. The paper concludes the name of Thorgo Mitsan is historically related to the identity of prominent Kalmyk monks within Drepung Gomang Monastery, and up to the late 18th century served to denoted the community of monks from the Kalmyk Khanate proper. After the exodus of Kalmyks from the Volga and their resettlement across Xinjiang, Thorgo Mitsan was largely inhabited by the newly arrived ethnic Kalmyks of Torghut descent. Such historical transformations may have introduced structural changes within mitsans, which resulted from ethnic identities of Oirat or Kalmyk monks admitted.
Supporting agencies: The reported study was funded by government subsidy — project ‘Sociopolitical and Cultural Development of South Russia’s Peoples: Comprehensive Studies of Respective Processes’ (state reg. no. АААА-А19-119011490038-5).
About the Author
Elza P. Bakaeva
Kalmyk Scientific Center of the RAS (8, Ilishkin St., Elista, 358000, Russian Federation)
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Dr. Sc. (History), Deputy Director, Leading Research Associate
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Review
For citations:
Bakaeva E.P. Ethnic Identities of Oirats and Kalmyks in the Tibetan Religious Tradition: Mitsangs of Drepung Gomang Monastery. Oriental Studies. 2020;13(6):1546-1557. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.22162/2619-0990-2020-52-6-1546-1557
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