Rabzhi Sanzhiev’s History of the Khori Buryats: Preliminary Data

Introduction. The introduction of new sources characterizing traditions of Buryat chronicle writing into scientific circulation remains an urgent task of Mongolian studies. Dozens of works and their various copies and editions are still there to be explored. The article precedes a further study and translation of a voluminous historical chronicle of the Aga and Khori Buryats. Goals. The study attempts a brief overview of the chronicle’s contents and approaches some peculiarities traced in its text. Materials and methods. The analysis of Rabzhi Sanzhiev’s writing involves a wide range of Buryat historical works — both chronicles and archival documents. The historical comparative and chronological methods prove instrumental in systematizing the data contained, while tools of textual and source studies have made it possible to delineate the author’s text proper. Results. The work identifies an extensive range of sources and the chronicle’s structure according to which R. Sanzhiev’s narrative be conventionally divided into a number of large sections, namely: Shirab-Nimbu Khobituev’s chronicle; copies of official documents; historical works by T. Toboev, D. Zayaev, S. Vandanov, A. Ochirov; and the author’s text. Conclusions. R. Sanzhiev’s writing is a major work of the historical documentary genre. The author undertook painstaking efforts to meticulously clarify data included in Shirab-Nimbu Khobituev’s chronicle and supplement certain facts and data, introduce additional findings from various sources. The continuation of Khobituev’s chronicle — despite the compiled facts are fragmented enough — acts as an independent composition. Archival documents on the history of Buryat self-governance and Buddhism, folklore texts, chronicles and legends included by the author into the narrative are of particular value.

1. A History of Origins of the Eleven Khori Buryat Clans Inhabiting Eastern Siberia of the Russian Empire. At: Institute for Mongolian, Buddhist and Tibetan Studies (SB RAS), Center of Oriental Manuscripts and Xylographs, Mongolian Collection. File no. M–I–1. 162 p. (In Mong.)

2. Documents on the history of Khori and Alar Buryats. At: Institute for Mongolian, Buddhist and Tibetan Studies (SB RAS), Center of Oriental Manuscripts and Xylographs, General Archival Collection. File no. 696. 115 p. (In Russ.)

3. Badmaeva L. B. Vandan Yumsunov’s Chronicle — a 19th Century Monument of Buryat Written Culture: A Study, Text, Transliteration, Translation, and Comments. Ulan-Ude: Buryat Scientific Center (SB RAS), 2007. 396 p. (In Russ.)

4. Badmaeva L. B., Ochirova G. N. Sh.-N. Khobituev’s Chronicle as a Monument of Buryat Written Culture. Ulan-Ude: Belig, 2018. 288 p. (In Russ.)

5. Buryat Historical Records. Ulan-Ude: Buryatia Book Publ., 1992. 240 p. (In Bur.)

6. Chimitdorzhiev Sh. B., Vanchikova Ts. P. (comps.) Buryat Chronicles. Ulan-Ude: Buryat Institute of Social Sciences, 1995. 199 p. (In Russ.)

7. Complete Collection of Laws of the Russian Empire. Collection Three. Vols. XX, XXV. St. Petersburg, 1835. Available at: https://nlr.ru/e-res/law_r/search.php (accessed: 2 August 2022). (In Russ.)

8. History of Buryat Buddhism: Written Sources. Ts. Vanchikova (translit., comment., etc.). Ulan-Ude: Buryat Scientific Center (SB RAS), 2006. 147 p. (In Bur. and Russ.)

9. Kazakevich V. A. (comp.) Chronicles of the Khori Buryats. Vol. 2: Chronicles of Shirab-Nimbo Khobituev. Transactions of the Institute of Oriental Studies IX. Moscow, Leningrad: USSR Academy of Sciences, 1935. 125 p. (In Russ.)

10. Nasuүüljei B. Buryat Historical Sources. Hailar: Inner Mongolia Culture Press, 1999. 408 p. (In Mong.)

11. Poppe N. N. (comp.) Chronicles of the Khori Buryats. Vol. 1: Chronicles of Tuguldur Toboev and Vandan Yumsunov. Transactions of the Institute of Oriental Studies IX. Moscow, Leningrad: USSR Academy of Sciences, 1935. 172 p. (In Russ.)

12. Poppe N. N. Chronicles of the Selenga Buryats. Vol. 1: Chronicle of Ubashi Dambi Jaltsan Lombo Tserenov. 1868. Transactions of the Institute of Oriental Studies XII. Moscow, Leningrad: USSR Academy of Sciences, 1936. 55 p. (In Russ.)

13. Puchkovsky L. S. Institute of Oriental Studies: [A Catalogue of] Mongolian, Buryat Mongolian, and Oirat Manuscripts and Xylographs. [Vol.] I: History, Law. Moscow, Leningrad: USSR Academy of Sciences, 1957. 276 p. (In Russ.)

14. Rumyantsev G. N. Buryat chronicles as a historical source. In: Transactions of the Buryat Comprehensive Research Institute. Vol. 3. Oriental Studies. Ulan-Ude: Buryatia Book Publ., 1960. Pp. 3–15. (In Russ.)

15. Rumyantsev G. N. The Selenga Buryats: Origins and clan/tribal structure. In: Materials in Central Asian History and Philology. Vol. 2. Transactions of the Buryat Comprehensive Research Institute 16. Ulan-Ude: Buryatia Book Publ., 1965. Pp. 87–117. (In Russ.)

16. Tsydendambaev Ts. B. Buryat Historical Chronicles and Genealogies. Ulan-Ude: Respublikanskaya Tipografiya, 2001. 256 p. (In Russ.)

17. Tsyrempilov N. (comp.) Annotated Catalogue of the Collection of Mongolian Manuscripts and Xylographs M I of the Institute of Mongolian, Tibetan and Buddhist studies of Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences. CNEAS 17. Ts. Vanchikova (ed.). Sendai: Tohoku University, 2004. 310 p. (In Eng.)

18. Vostrikov A. I., Poppe N. N. Chronicle of the Barguzin Buryats: Texts and Study. Moscow, Leningrad: USSR Academy of Sciences, 1935. 75 p. (In Russ.)