Weapons and Banners of Moslem Population in East Turkestan and Adjacent Territories, Mid-18th Century: A Case Study of Qinding Huangyu Xiyu Tuzhi

Introduction. The article deals with the juan (chapter) 42 of the Qing source “Qinding Huangyu Xiyu tuzhi” written in the second half of the 18th century and devoted to the weapons and banners of the Muslim population (Huibu) of the former Dzungar state. The chapter has not been previously translated into European languages and has not been the object of a special study either. The purpose of the research is to examine and introduce this new data for scholarly attention and further inquiry. Results. The compilation of the document was initiated by Emperor Qianlong after the territory of the Dzungar state was annexed to the Qing Empire. A group of Qing officials and of European specialists was sent to explore the newly acquired lands. The work in Dzungaria was largely carried out in 1756–1757, while the study of East Turkestan was completed in the spring of 1759. The work on the text itself began the same year to continue for about 23 years (1759–1782). Manchu military leaders who participated in the war in Central Asia took part in the compilation of the document, too. The chapter under study describes three types of bladed weapons of the Muslim population in the region (kılıç, selem, hançer), spear (naiza), ax (aibalta), bow (yay), arrows (ok), quiver (saadak), chain mail (sauyt), plate armor (kuyak), quilted soft armor (olbog), mirror armor (char-ayna), helmet (duulga), and plate belt (beldemchi). Special attention was given to such parts of military suits as quilted liners of helmets and upper trousers (shalbars). Also, two types of battle banners are described in detail, such a salam, the small banner of beys and tug, a big banner. Each item is supplied with a description and the transcription of its original name. In some cases, the material used for their manufacture and typical sizes are indicated. Conclusions. The data of the written source under study compared with authentic samples of weapons and pertaining visual materials has shown that the Qing officials described the weapons and banners of the region with high degree of reliability. Some of this information is unique and can be found in no other sources of the period. The authors pointed out correlations between the original names of the weapons and armor with their constructive features, which opens new avenues for further research of the written works and epics of the Turkic population of Central Asia.

1. Ban Gu. Book of Han. On: Wikisource (online digital library). Available at: zh.wikisource.org/wiki/漢書/卷096上 (accessed: June 12, 2021). (In Chin.)

2. Baskakov A. N. et al. (eds.) Turkish-Russian Dictionary. Moscow: Russkiy Yazyk, 1977. 966 p. (In Turk. and Russ.)

3. Cao Zhao. The Essential Criteria of Antiquities. On: Chinese Text Project (Wiki). Available at: https://ctext.org/wiki.pl?if=gb&chapter=424221 (accessed: March 1, 2021). (In Chin.)

4. Dybo A. V. Names of weapons: from Proto-Altaic to Mongolian ones. In: Russian-Mongolian Linguistic Collection. Moscow: Kantsler, 2015. Pp. 209–254. (In Russ.)

5. Egerton E. Indian and Oriental Arms and Armour. Moscow: Tsentrpoligraf, 2007. 294 p. (In Russ.)

6. Fan Ye. Book of the Later Han. On: Wikisource (online digital library). Available at: zh.wikisource.org/wiki/後漢書/卷88#蒲類國 (accessed June 12, 2021). (In Chin.)

7. Filin F. P. (ed.) A Dictionary of the Russian Language, 11th–17th Centuries AD. Vol. 8: Крада – Лящина. Moscow: Nauka, 1981. 351 p. (In Russ.)

8. History of the Northern Dynasties. On: Wikisource (online digital library). Available at: zh.wikisource.org/wiki/北史/卷097 (accessed: May 21, 2021). (In Chin.)

9. Imperially Approved Illustrated Descriptions of Western Regions. 1782. On: Chinese Text Project (Wiki). Available at: https://ctext.org/library.pl?if=gb&res=5025; https://ctext.org/wiki.pl?if=gb&res=545503 (accessed: March 11, 2021). (In Chin.)

10. Kangxi Dictionary. On: Chinese Text Project (Wiki). Available at: https://ctext.org/kangxi-zidian (accessed: March 11, 2021). (In Chin.)

11. Ma Duanlin. Comprehensive Study of (Historical) Writings. On: Chinese Text Project (Wiki). Available at: https://ctext.org/wiki.pl?if=gb&chapter=840191 (accessed: June 12, 2021). (In Chin.)

12. Muniev B. D. (ed.) Kalmyk-Russian Dictionary. Moscow: Russkiy Yazyk, 1977. 764 p. (In Kalm. and Russ.)

13. Nadelyaev V. M. et al. (eds.) Dictionary of Old Turkic. Leningrad: Nauka, 1969. 715 p. (In Turk.)

14. Pyurbeev G. Ts. (ed.) Unabridged Academic Mongolian-Russian Dictionary. In 4 vols. Moscow: Academia, 2001. Vol. 1, 520 p.; vol. 2, 536 p.; vol. 3, 440 p.; vol. 4, 532 p. (In Mong. And Russ.)

15. Samples of Ritual Utensils of the Reigning Dynasty. Yangzhou: Guangling Shushe, 2004. 812 p. (In Chin.)

16. Veritable Records of Sejong. Gwon 133: The Five Rituals. Introductory Notes. Weapons. Armor and Helmets. On: Veritable Records of Joseon Dynasty (online database). Available at: http://sillok.history.go.kr/id/kca_11411004_001 (accessed: March 19, 2021). (In Chin.)

17. Veritable Records of Taejong. 1431. On: Veritable Records of Joseon Dynasty (online database). Available at: http://sillok.history.go.kr/search/inspectionMonthList.do?id=kca (accessed: March 11, 2021). (In Chin.)

18. Akhmetzhan K. S. Combat armor in the Kazakh traditional weapon system. In: Military Equipment of Eurasian Nomads. Barnaul: Altai State University, 2005. Pp. 82–86. (In Russ.)

19. Akhmetzhan K. S. Ethnography of Kazakh Traditional Weaponry. Almaty: Almatykitap, 2007. 216 p. (In Russ.)

20. Alexander D. G. Islamic Arms and Armor in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2015. 336 p. (In Eng.)

21. Anisimova M. A. Military Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineers and Signal Corps: Weapons of the East, 15th – Mid-20th Centuries. St. Petersburg: Atlant, 2013. 527 p. (In Russ.)

22. Bakaeva E. P. The tsegdeg dress of Kalmyk and Oirat women: semantics of its fashion and decorative elements (ancient signs in the semiotic system of the garment). Bulletin of the Kalmyk Institute for Humanities of the RAS (Oriental Studies). 2017. Vol. 10. No. 4. Pp. 49–59. (In Russ.)

23. Bekmakhanov E. Kazakhstan, 1920s–1940s. Alma-Ata: Kazakh State University, 1992. 400 p. (In Russ.)

24. Beybutova R. A. Kyrgyz epic hero: his weaponry and ethnolinguistic interpretation of the latter. In: All-Union School of Young Orientalists. Moscow, 1986. Vol. 1. Pp. 17–19. (In Russ.)

25. Bobrov L. A. Armor of the Manchu aristocrat, the first half and the middle of the 17th century. Parabellum novum. 2021. No. 14 (47). Pp. 60–82. (In Russ.)

26. Bobrov L. A. Kazakh military cap ‘malakai’, XVIII–XIX centuries. Vestnik NSU. Series: History and Philology. 2012. Vol. 11. No. 7: Archaeology and Ethnography. Pp. 213–220. (In Russ.)

27. Bobrov L. A. Shakan: Kazakh 18th–19th century narrow-bladed battle axes. Archaeology, Ethnology and Anthropology of Eurasia. 2015. Vol. 43. No. 4. Pp. 106–113. (In Russ.)

28. Bobrov L. A. Spear cut – structural element of long pole weapons of the nations of the Great Steppe and neighboring territories dated to the Late Middle Ages and Early Modern age. Vestnik NSU. Series: History and Philology. 2013. Vol. 12. No. 3: Archaeology and Ethnography. Pp. 183–195. (In Russ.)

29. Bobrov L. A., Ismailov D. Three sabers with wooden hilts of the 17th – mid 19th centuries from the National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Vestnik NSU. Series: History and Philology. 2019. Vol. 18. No. 3: Archaeology and Ethnography. Pp. 146–158. (In Russ.)

30. Bobrov L. A., Khudyakov Yu. S. Nomads of Central Asia and South Siberia: Weaponry and Tactics of War in the Late Medieval Ages and Early Modern Era, 15th – Mid-18th Centuries AD. St. Petersburg: St. Petersburg State University, 2008. 770 p. (In Russ.)

31. Bobrov L. A., Ozheredov Yu. I. Armor of the Warrior Jamsaran: Central Asian ‘Kuyak’ Armor from the Museum of Siberian Archaeology and Ethnography, Tomsk State University. Novosibirsk: Novosibirsk State University, 2021. 228 p. (In Russ.)

32. Bobrov L. A., Ozheredov Yu. I. Museum of Siberian Archaeology and Ethnography, Tomsk State University: Kalantar armor from Central Asia. In: Cultures and Peoples of North and Central Asia in Interdisciplinary Research Contexts. Vol. 3. Tomsk: Tomsk State University, 2013. Pp. 42–63. (In Russ.)

33. Bobrov L. A., Pastukhov A. M. ‘Qinding Huangyu Xiyu Tuzhi’ as a source of the information of weapons and military symbols for the population of Central Asia in the middle of the 18th century. Bylye Gody. 2021. Vol. 16. No. 2. Pp. 506–526. (In Russ.)

34. Bobrov L. A., Pronin A. O. Kazakh battle axes in XVIII−XIX centuries in pictorial sources. Vestnik NSU. Series: History and Philology. 2014. Vol. 13. No. 5: Archaeology and Ethnography. Pp. 255–262. (In Russ.)

35. Darzha V. K. Traditional Occupations of Tuvan Men. Vol. 1: Livestock Breeding, Hunting, Fishing. Kyzyl: Tyvapoligraf, 2013. 592 p. (In Russ.)

36. Demidova N. F. et al. (comps.), Tikhvinsky S. L. (ed.) Russian-Chinese Relations, 18th Century: Materials and Documents. Vol. I: 1700–1725. Moscow: Nauka, 1978. 704 p. (In Russ.)

37. Demidova N. F., Myasnikov V. S. (comps.) Russian-Chinese Relations, 17th Century. Vol. II: 1686–1691. Moscow: Nauka, 1972. 836 p. (In Russ.)

38. Interpretations of Words Used in the Six Ministries. Hangzhou: Zhejiang Ancient Books Publ., 1987. 237 p. (In Chin.)

39. Karlova E. M. et al. Mortal Beauty: Arms and Armour of India and China. Exhibition catalogue. Moscow: State Museum of Oriental Art, 2015. 368 p. (In Russ.)

40. Khorasani M. M. Arms and Armor from Iran. The Bronze Age to the End of the Qajar Period. Tübingen: Legat-Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, 2006. 776 p. (In Eng.)

41. LaRocca D. J. Warriors of the Himalayas. Rediscovering the Arms and Armor of Tibet. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art; New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 2006. 307 p. (In Eng.)

42. Loseva-Bakhtiyarova T. V. The names of protective armors and equipment in the Turkic languages. PHILOLOGY. International scientific journal. 2018. No. 4 (16). Pp. 65–74. (In Russ.)

43. Mazarchuk A. V. Common lexis for headgears and adornments in Khalkha, Buryat, and Kalmyk. Bulletin of the Kalmyk Institute for Humanities of the RAS (Oriental Studies – Elista). 2017. No. 6. Pp. 94–102. (In Russ.) DOI: 10.22162/2075-7794-2017-34-6-94-102

44. Mohamed B. The Arts of the Muslim Knight. The Furusiyya Art Foundation Collection. Milan: Skira, 2008. 416 p. (In Eng.)

45. Orlenko S. P., Novosyolov V. R., Kurmanovsky V. S. Revisiting the Russian weapons from crucible steel in the 17th century (a case study of the former archive of the Armoury Chamber). Weapons History Journal. 2019. No. 7. Pp. 1–61. (In Russ.)

46. Pyurbeev G. Ts. Ikh Tsaaz and Khalkha Jirum: military terms in the codes of Oirats and Mongols. In: United Kalmykia in United Russia: Through Centuries into the Future. Jubilee conference proceedings (Elista; September 13–18, 2009). Elista: Dzhangar, 2009. Vol. 2. Pp. 283–285. (In Russ.)

47. Rivkin K., Isaac B. A Study of the Eastern Sword. Mankato, 2017. 360 p. (In Eng.)

48. Shkolyar S. A. Kitayskaya doognestrel’naya artilleriya. M.: Nauka, 1980. 406 s.

49. Slesarchuk G. I. (comp.), Demidova N. F. (ed.) Russian-Mongolian Relations, 1654–1685: Historical Materials. Moscow: Vostochnaya Literatura, 1996. 560 p. (In Russ.)

50. The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Armaments and Military Provisions. Beijing, 2008. 264 p. (In Eng.)

51. Unabridged Dictionary of China’s Material Culture from Past Eras. Weapons and Instruments of Punishment. Shijiazhuang: Hebei Educational Press, 2002. 516 p. (In Chin.)

52. Valikhanov Ch. Ch. Kirghiz weaponry and armor in ancient times. In: Valikhanov Ch. Ch. Collected Works. In 5 vols. Alma-Ata: Nauka, 1961. Vol. 1. Pp. 463–467. (In Russ.)

53. Zakharova I. V., Khodzhaeva R. D. Kazakh National Garments, 19th – Early 20th Centuries. Alma-Ata: Nauka, 1964. 178 p. (In Russ.)