Introduction. Insights into the Kipchak ethnic component of Central Asian history are a very important field instrumental in reconstructing actual processes across the vast Eurasian territories. The component has been studied within diverse ethnic and national histories of the region but the impact of Kipchak tribes in the history of the Timurid Empire and its successor states remains as uninvestigated. Goals. The paper analyzes a variety of sources to delineate the place of Kipchak tribes in social and administrative structures of Amir Timur’s empire and domains of his descendants. Materials and methods. The article examines The Life of [Sultan] Jalal al-Din Mangburni by Shihab al-Din Muhammad al-Nasawi, The Chronicles of Amir Timur’ Invasion of India by Ghiyas-ud-din Ali, The Rise of the Two Auspicious Constellations and the Confluence of the Two Oceans by Abd-al-Razzāq Samarqandī, The Book of Victories by Nizam al-Din Shami, The Book of Victories by Sharaf ad-Din Ali Yazdi, The Glorifier of Genealogies, Tarikh-i Rashidi by Mirza Muhammad Haidar, Babur-nama by Zahiru’d-din Muhammad Babur, Miracles of Fate in the History of Timur by Ahmed ibn Arabshah, Ming Shilu (Ming Veritable Records), etc. Our analysis of such various sources based on the principle of historicism with the aid of special historical methods concludes as to the degree of Kipchaks’ participation in political and administrative structures of the mentioned states. Conclusions. The considered sources attest to representatives of Kipchak tribes were close enough to associates of Amir Timur and would hold high positions, acting as emirs of diwans, tuvachis, emirs of tumens, seal keepers, etc. There were several groups of Kipchaks — ones in the Ilchikdai Ulus, Kipchaks associated with Jalairs, separate communities ruled by various emirs. The Timurid era witnessed the shaping and rise of several Kipchak clans that served as executives in the states of Amir Timur and his descendants.

Introduction. The history of regional and demographic development of Jilin Province in Northeast China from 1949 to 1979 comprises a number of socioeconomic and urban/spatial changes in the demographic potential of the strategically important border territory. Goals. The paper shall consider some peculiar features of economic processes in the evolution of Jilin Province from 1949 to 1979; identify key trends in ethnic, urban/spatial, and migration processes; determine the causes and consequences of high fertility, low mortality, and a younger age population structure in Jilin Province during the period under review. Materials and methods. The article employs quite a variety of sources on China’s historical demography: population censuses, statistical collections, materials of five-year plans. The synchronous and statistical historical methods have proven most instrumental. Results. The thirty years following the founding of the People’s Republic of China (1949) witnessed an economic strengthening of the strategically important border province. The shaping of its production infrastructure dominated by automotive, petrochemical, fuel and energy, coal, and metallurgical industries did have positive impacts on the demographic situation. Over the thirty years, its population increased by 11,761 thousand people, so did the number of marriages, and the population structure was characterized by a prevalence of the younger generation. The then spatial and urban changes in Jilin would take into account some ethnic characteristics and industrial potential ― never to essentially solve the food problem (through preservation of arable lands). All these factors paved the path to the one-child policy. Conclusions. Jilin’s regional and demographic development from 1949 to 1979 was characterized by increased birth and decreased mortality rates, rapid population growth and that of urban areas, accelerated urbanization, and migrations from other provinces to industrial, forest and rural territories of Jilin.

Introduction. The article discusses circumstances behind the Russian-Kalmyk negotiations and Shert’ (‘oath/treaty of allegiance’) of 1677. Goals. The study seeks to introduce some newly discovered sources dealing with seventeenth-century Kalmyk-Russian relations. Materials. The work focuses on Ambassadorial Book 5 contained in Collection 119 (‘Kalmyk Affairs’) of the Russian State Archive of Ancient Acts. Results. The Treaty of 1677 and related preceding arrangements were characterized by mutual suspicion and mistrust. The main Kalmyk-party guarantors — besides Ayuka proper —were Noyon Yeke-Zamsa of Torghuts and Tayiji Solom-Tseren of Dorbets. Conclusions. The Shert’ of 1677 would largely duplicate provisions of the 1673 one. However, it was supplemented with a few points, namely: 1) external political contacts of Kalmyk noblemen would be essentially limited, 2) all ethnic Russian captives of 1675–1677 were to be returned and offenders be punished, 3) diplomatic protocol and procedures to be henceforth followed by Ayuka with Russian Tsar’s ambassadors and written messages were articulated in greater detail.

nt and administrative bodies of Don Host Oblast towards Kalmyks Cossacks from the 1830s to the October Revolution. Goals. The paper shall step by step investigate the mentioned policy of imperial and Don Host agencies, describe how the network of educational institutions would unfold in Kalmyk and Salsky districts throughout the identified period. Materials and methods. The study rests on the principles of objectivity and historicism, employs tools of comparative analysis. It focuses on a variety of newly introduced archival materials and collections from Reference Books of Don Host Oblast for the years 1885–1915. Results. The work provides a historical review of the educational system across Kalmyk-inhabited stanitsas: the year 1839 was marked by the opening of Kalmyk Congregational School, and by the early twentieth century there were a number of institutions (including female ones) in virtually all stanitsas and most khutors of Salsky District. Furthermore, Kalmyk children would attend other public-funded educational organizations of Don Host Oblast, such as Military and Vocational School, railroad and non-classical colleges, gymnasiums. The paper pays particular attention to the teaching staff and literacy evaluations among children of Kalmyk Cossacks. Conclusions. The Don Host administrative office did join efforts with Buddhist clerics, Ministry of War, and Ministry of Public Education to develop a network of educational institutions in Kalmyk settlements and enhance literacy among Kalmyk Cossacks. This served a key adaptation factor for ethnic Kalmyks within the Don Host and its community.

Introduction. The article deals with the life and endeavors of Dinmukhamed А. Kunayev ― a prominent Soviet statesman and party activist, who was long in charge of the Kazakh SSR Party Organization and greatly contributed to socioeconomic development of the Republic (and the whole Soviet Union) in 1942–1986. Goals. The article shall examine documentary sources pertaining to D. Kynayev’s life path to highlight his role in the Republic’s economic, scientific, and political development, emphasize his contribution to the preservation and successes of the Soviet state at large, and appreciate his significance to the birth of sovereign Kazakhstan (and its territorial integrity). Materials and methods. The study covers a variety of sources, including personal memories of D. Kunayev, recollections of his contemporaries and co-workers, materials and documents from Kazakhstan-based and foreign archives (Archive of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Central State Archive of the Republic of Kazakhstan, etc.). The article employs the historical-genetic and historical-comparative methods, addresses the concept of biographic approach and theory of ethnic mobilization to reconstruct some episodes of D. Kunayev’s biography in certain historical contexts with due regard of related national/ethnic mobilizing components. Much in Kunayev–Moscow relations can be explained by provisions of clientilism theory. Such methods of sociological research as discourse analysis of texts and speech patterns of Soviet Union and Kazakhstan’s executives have proven as instrumental. Conclusions. The paper shows D. Kunayev played a remarkable role in the development of all spheres of Soviet Kazakhstan, and either did he for the development of the whole Soviets, which also provided certain grounds for subsequent successful development of independent Kazakhstan.

Introduction. The article examines some historical and other related circumstances behind the creation of Tuzūkāt-i Tīmūrī (The Code of [Amir] Timur). Goals. The paper seeks to identify the narrative’s place in a variety of written sources on Chagatai military tactics of the late fourteenth to early fifteenth centuries. Results. The study discovers The Code is a composite work compiled from a text allegedly found in Arabia by Abu TalibTurbati in the early seventeenth century, subsequent comments of a translator and a copyist, some fragments of Timurid writings dated from the early fifteenth century, and corrections introduced by the Mughal historian Muhammad Ashraf Bukhari. The final version of Tuzūkāt-i Tīmūrī was completed between the mid-1620s and 1650s at the earliest. The sections about tactics of Amir Timur’s Chagatai army are very likely a combination of messages borrowed by the compilers from fifteenth-century Timurid written sources — and their own interpretations of Safavid (and possibly Mughal) combat practices of later times. Descriptions of combat formations and tactical techniques contained in Tuzūkāt-i Tīmūrī cannot be merely extrapolated to military realities of Amir Timur’ era. However, the narrative does clarify some specifics of Chagatai combat tactics mentioned in the Timurid Zafarnamas (ones by Nizam al-Din Shami and Sharaf ad-Din Ali Yazdi). Some of the descriptions are not that clear to contemporary researchers while those were obvious enough to the seventeenth-century authors. For this reason, The Code can be most instrumental in ‘deciphering’ some complicated or controversial patterns of tactics contained in Timurid sources of the late fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries. Conclusions. It is possible to highlight data pertaining to Chagatai combat tactics of the designated period through comparing the text of Tuzūkāt-i Tīmūrī to those of early fifteenth-century Zafarnamas and other works of the Timurid era.

Introduction. Insha Allah Khan Insha was a key author of Urdu literature at the turn of the nineteenth centuries. His works were multilingual, and the languages he used comprised a local version of literary Turki. Nowadays there is only one surviving manuscript of the poet’s largest Turkic-language work ― The Turki-Language Diary ― housed at the Rampur Raza Library (Rampur, India) and never subjected to any special Turkological research. Goals. So, the paper attempts a comprehensive description of the narrative as a written and literary monument. Results. The article provides a detailed archaeographic description of the manuscript, clarifies somewhat exact dates of the mentioned events, determines a quantitative ratio of India’s languages in the text, and links fragments in different languages to certain thematic blocks. A variety of literary methods proves instrumental in identifying the structure of daily notes, their compositional features, and key content/thematic blocks. Although the manuscript primarily focuses on everyday life and describes conversations with various people, it does contain fragments of poems once heard by the author and those composed by him. The latter’s analysis makes it possible to delineate the reading range of individuals from Insha’s circle, and to clarify some textual aspects of his own works that would be included in his Complete Works (poems). Identifications of the individuals mentioned in the manuscript are as instrumental in determining the poet’s social circle, cast light on his relationship with the patron. The abundance of direct speech patterns helps reconstruct Insha’s perceptions of his contemporaries and close ones, and, to a certain extent, styles of their everyday communication and ranges of their constant interests. The manuscript ― its content and form ― significantly expands our understanding of both Insha Allah Khan Insha proper, and of Turkic-language practices in India throughout the last decades of the Mughal Empire.

Introduction. The article analyzes some characteristics of eighteenth-century fish production, processing, and ichthyofauna of the Lower Volga traced in notes and reports of travelers (Cornelis de Bruijn, John Bell) and St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences expeditionists (P. S. Pallas, I. I. Lepekhin, S. G. Gmelin, J. A. Güldenstädt, J. P. Falck, N. Ya. Ozeretskovsky), including papers from Collection 394 (‘Astrakhan Governorate Chancellery’) of the State Archive of Astrakhan Oblast. Materials and methods. The work uses the method of comparative historical analysis to investigate the published notes of travelers, research papers of academic expeditionists, and unpublished archival files of Collection 394 containing descriptions and analyses of the then fishing industry in the Lower Volga, and dealing with arrangements that preceded those academic expeditions in the mid-to-late eighteenth century (in particular, ones headed by S. G. Gmelin and J. P. Falck) across Astrakhan Governorate in close cooperation with regional authorities. Conclusions. Our insights into a variety of published sources and unpublished documents discovered in Collection 394 of the Archive attest to comprehensive descriptions of Astrakhan fisheries were first made by members of academic expeditions in accordance with duly assigned tasks and through the support of regional executives. Notes by chiefs of ‘physical expeditions’ make it possible to localize and characterize key areas of fish production in the region, identify some prominent fishery owners, determine the actual fish species’ range, production volumes and incomes, tools and methods of fishing.

Introduction. The article introduces the Early Iron Age pottery technology of the Kazakh Uplands (Kaz. Saryarqa ‘Yellow Ridge’). Goals. The study seeks to identify common and specific features inherent to pottery traditions traced in ceramics from settlements and barrows scattered across the Saryarqa. Materials and methods. The work examines sherds from a total of 314 Saka-era vessels (including 291 samples from 6 settlements of Central Kazakhstan and 3 settlements of North Kazakhstan, as well as 23 samples from 9 barrows). In addition, 17 vessels from barrows with ‘moustaches’ (or stone ridges) previously dated to the Early Iron Age have also been investigated. A. Bobrinsky’s method — with the aid of МБС-10 binocular microscope and СНОЛ muffle laboratory furnace — has proven most instrumental in testing the pottery technology. Results and conclusions. The investigated settlements of Central and North Kazakhstan are characterized by that they would mainly select similar raw material — medium-iron clays. However, the pottery paste recipes did differ: in North Kazakhstan, preference was given to medium-size mineral tempers, and to larger ones — in Central Kazakhstan. Furthermore, pottery shaping techniques of Central Kazakhstan were largely dominated by coiling, while in North Kazakhstan they would turn to pinching/patching, and the latter method happens to have been as widespread in ceramic samples from the Saka-era barrows. The wall-to-base sequence prevails in ceramics from both settlements and barrows. Our analysis of related data for barrows with ‘moustaches’ shows the latter’s pottery traditions (preference to clay concentrates, grog, and spiral patching) essentially differ from those traced in regular barrows. This can be explained by that according to recent radiocarbon tests the barrows with ‘moustaches’ date from later periods. In general, the study shows the Early Iron Age population of the Saryarqa was very heterogeneous, and the era was witnessing active mergers of various groups.

Introduction. The work delves into anthropological materials from Late Sarmatian burials housed at Kalmyk Scientific Center (RAS). It briefly characterizes a variety of Early Iron Age sites — and, in particular, Late Sarmatian burials — explored in the territory of Kalmykia. Goals. The study attempts an analysis of the age-sex structure inherent to Kalmykia’s Late Sarmatians, and shall introduce some newly obtained anthropological materials into scientific circulation. Methods. Traditional anthropological methods have been most instrumental in determining sex and age. The methodology for calculating key paleodemographic indicators have been borrowed from The Vlachs by T. Alekseeva, D. Bogatenkov, and G. Lebedinskaya. The demographic calculations involve published data on respective groups from neighboring regions — Volgograd and Rostov Oblasts. Results. The paper shows despite the three paleopopulations of the Late Sarmatian era are similar enough, which be manifested in a large number of deformed skulls, demographic imbalances associated with few children’s burials, prevalence of male individuals, etc. — each group is distinguished by certain peculiarities of its development.

Introduction. The sacral map of ethnic spatial development is a complicated mosaic of multifunctional zones that includes places of residence, territories for economic activity, and sacral areas proper. Ethnic Buryatia’s sacral map comprises a variety of spatial elements, such as border markers of settlements, places for economic pursuits, burial grounds, and those of hierophanies. ‘Healing’ localities, including healing springs, are somewhat distinguished in this sacral space. Goals. The study attempts a review of images of healing springs, their functions and significance for society — through the prism of spatial, social ‘narratives’ of culture. Materials and methods. The Buryat development space is a compound information environment comprising elements that remain relevant to date. Healing springs are considered from the perspective of the information theory of culture, which makes it possible to identify a few layers of somewhat contradictory messages articulated by representatives of different generations. Results. The paper traces certain chains of changes in statuses of such springs: from ‘water of immortality’ once granted by deities — to symbols of holiness of Buddhist hierarchs whose efforts gave birth to a number of such arshans. Special attention is given to images of supernatural patrons of springs, their healing properties and prescribed practices, beautification endeavors across adjacent territories. Conclusions. The insight into the arshan cult and water-related practices reveals some most socially relevant details inherent thereto. Information layers characterizing the image of a spring reflect certain changes in perceptions of its significance — from clan-level status to public one. Furthermore, Buddhism has yielded significant transformations both in ritual arrangements, patterns of healing practices, and design of such treatment places.

Introduction. The Republic of Tatarstan is a key immigrant-recipient region of the Russian Federation. As of 2022, Tatarstan ranked first in Volga Federal District and fourth nationwide on the number of arrived migrants. One of the main reasons behind the situation is that according to annual socioeconomic reports by the Agency of Strategic Initiatives, Tatarstan sustainably holds leading positions of investment attractiveness. And it is already common practice that the majority of arriving individuals are Central Asian citizens, the three leading origin countries being Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. The recent thirty years have witnessed a significant structural shift determined by that most newcomers never lived in the once unified state ― Soviet Union. Different strategies of sovereign sociocultural development adopted by currently independent countries of Central Asia have led to increased cultural distances between their citizens and Russia’s natives. Goals. The work attempts an analysis of how young Central Asian migrants adapt to new sociocultural conditions of Tatarstan’s polyethnic community. To facilitate this, the paper shall characterize the specifics of interaction between the former and locals, including some features of their language behavior. Materials and ­methods. Outcomes of the September-to-November 2023 survey held in Tatarstan constitute a source base for our analysis. The tested informants are ethnic Uzbeks, Tajiks, and Kyrgyzes. Qualitative research methodology and that of in-depth interviews have proven most instrumental herein. Results. The study reveals certain features of adaptation strategies and linguistic competence levels in ethnic and demographic groups of migrants. Special attention is paid to economic and sociopsychological reasons why the latter have chosen Tatarstan as their destination region, to indicators of cultural distances between locals and aliens. Conclusions. An important circumstance behind the choice of Tatarstan ― in the eyes of the respondents ― is the cultural and linguistic proximity, as well as the low level of ethnocentric attitudes on behalf of the host population. The article classifies and describes groups with maximum and minimum levels of linguistic competency, discusses some implied reasons. So, it is intention to reside in Tatarstan in the long term that essentially contributes to the successful acquisition and use of the Russian language.

Introduction. Dongxiang is a southern Mongolic  language containing a variety of archaic features that seem promising for comparative historical linguistics. Goals. The study attempts an analysis of Dongxiang vowel patterns introduced in works authored by Russian and foreign scientists. Materials. The article focuses on published Dongxiang language materials dealing with phonetic features of this southern Mongolic language. Results. The vowel phonetic system of Dongxiang — reported to comprise a total of five to seven sounds — has been approached by a number of scholars, such as B. Todaeva, Ma Guoliang and Liu Zhaoxiong, Nademude, Buhe, A. Ibrahim, Ma Guozhong and Chen Yuanlong, Deligerma. However, the only researcher to have identified certain phonemes is A. Ibrahim. So, despite the academic insights, issues of phonemic statuses for some vowel sounds still remain unresolved. The available works contain no concurrent views on the Dongxiang vowel system, the latter to comprise even differing numbers of sounds in classifications authored by different researchers. Our comparative review of the different classifications reveals those tend to differentiate vowel sounds by position (front, central, and back ones) and by tenseness (close, mid, and open ones). Labiality is also indicated as a defining characteristic but vowel lengths still remain unattended by the researchers.

Introduction. Character speech in literary fiction is quasi-spontaneous, and is supposed to resemble mere conversational narratives. To facilitate this, the authors turn to the use of — along with other colloquialisms and tools — pragmatic approximator markers that are to show the speaker’s uncertainty in what he/she is talking about. Such typical markers in Russian are as follows: типа, или там, как бы, вроде (and their structural variations). Presence of the functional units makes character speech more natural but may pose significant difficulties for translators who are forced to look for adequate analogues in the target language. Goals. The study seeks to analyze the identified methods of translating pragmatic approximator markers contained in Russian literary texts — into Chinese. Materials and methods. The paper focuses on 21 contexts from 10 Russian narratives included in the main section of Russian National Corpus and their Chinese translations. The employed methodology comprises targeted sampling, contextual, comparative, and discursive analyses. Results. It has been revealed that the markers traced across examined character speech patterns do correspond to authentic colloquial Russian units, i. e. they perform the main function of approximation, often combined with those of hesitation, xeno-narration (to introduce someone else’s speech into narrative), and delimitation (to mark a beginning, continuation or final part of phrase). Moreover, Russian approximator markers are often used together with other pragmatic units to form various pragmatic chains, which essentially complicates the translator’s tasks. Conclusions. Our analysis shows the most successful method — although a very rare one — is omission of an approximator marker and articulation of its message with other words (4.3 %). The marker is quite often (17.4 %) simply ignored, which by all means significantly changes a character’s speech portrait. And in most cases (78.3%), the marker is translated with meaningful words, closest to the examined markers being some introductory words denoting approximation (47.8 %), and remotest — literal translations characterized by complete loss of meaning (4.3 %). All in all, no completely successful Russian-to-Chinese translation of pragmatic approximator markers has been found. The obtained data pose a problem of identifying pragmatic approximator markers in the Chinese language and establishing bilingual correspondences for such units.

Introduction. The epic hero Geser (Abai Geser Bogdo Khan, Geser, Gesar) and the founder of the Mongol Empire Genghis Khan are most remarkable and iconic characters in folklore traditions of Inner Asia. The involvedness of Siberia’s peoples ― including Buryat clans and tribes (despite their largely peripheral locations) ― in general Mongolian historical events led to the two characters became equally popular, widespread, and somewhat sacral folklore images. It is interesting and topical enough to consider Genghis Khan and Geser in one semantic field from the perspectives of their misidentification (or even suggested sameness), historical memory, and mythologization of personality in ethnic consciousness. Goals. The article aims to identify, classify and explore plots that tend to identify, articulate kinship and typological proximity of Geser and Genghis Khan in folklore and historical memories of Inner Asian peoples. The concept of G. Potanin ― an earliest Russian historiographer to have pointed out the contamination and attempted to analyze its mythological basis ― shall be examined in detail. Materials and methods. The addressed principles of historicism and objectivity make it possible to reconstruct the concept of [mis]identifying Geser and Genghis Khan examined in G. Potanin’s works. Methods of comparative analysis ― the comparative/genetic and historical/typological ones ― have proven instrumental in tracing common images and plots of Turko-Mongolian folklore narratives, and considering the latter both within related origins and typological proximities arising from actual historical conditions. Contextual analysis tools have revealed certain meanings of narrative situations and semantics of images articulated in those situations. The study focuses on folklore patterns of Siberia and Inner Asia’s groups, archival materials housed by the Center of Oriental Manuscripts and Xylographs (IMBT SB RAS). Results. The paper delineates key clusters of folklore plots that identify Geser and Genghis Khan, namely: merger of the two images into one, genealogical succession, mythical kinship, identical semantic functions of the culture heroes. Conclusions. The image of demiurge Geser-Genghis is characteristic of South Siberian Turkic mythologies, while the Mongolic oral traditions distinguish between the images but tend to view them as ones with pronounced ties, and basically deify the characters. In Buryat mythical/epic space, Genghis Khan and Geser act as relatives ― heavenly divine brother-progenitors of not Mongols at large but specifically Buryat tribes. In addition, both of the heroes are represented as creators of some certain elements included in the ethnic cultural code.