The purpose of the article is to briefly highlight the main milestones in the life of the famous Buryat scientist P. B. Baldanzhapov, to characterize his scientific researches in the field of Mongolian studies, to discover new, little-known aspects of his activities, to show his role in the development of new fields of science. Introduction. The article was presented as an introductory report at the IV International seminar “Written Heritage and current problems of the history and culture of the Mongolian peoples”, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the birth of the prominent Russian scientist, Mongolist and orientalist P. B. Baldanzhapov (1921–1991), held in Ulan-Ude on September 16–18, 2021. The source base was both published works and unpublished materials stored in the personal archive of the scientist, articles by researchers dedicated to the legacy of P. B. Baldanzhapov. When writing the article, general historical research methods were used, such as historical-comparative, retrospective and chronological, which made it possible to show the life and works of P. B. Baldanzhapov in the process of becoming from a student to a professional. Results. Professional interests of P. B. Baldanzhapov were quite versatile: from collecting and studying monuments of folk folklore, toponymic terms and their interpretation, collecting written monuments in Tibetan and Mongolian languages, what is evidenced by the unique collections of Tibetan and Mongolian works stored in his personal archive, numerous manuscripts of articles and materials on the history of public education, culture, science and librarianship in Mongolia and Tuva, on the history of preserving cultural heritage and organizing their museum display and popularization deposited in his archive, up to studying the Buddhist heritage and promoting its preservation, as well as sources on Indo-Tibetan medicine and many others. Nevertheless, the main passion of his whole life was the study of Mongolian historical treatises.

The purpose of the article is to provide new information about the initial stage of the process of restoration and revival of Buddhist traditions after the period of repression and atheistic prohibitions. It shows the role of representatives of the Buddhist clergy in the person of the Khambo lamas of the USSR and the MPR Zh.-D. Gomboev, S. Gombozhav and P. B. Baldanzhapov in establishing international relations between the countries, in the creation and opening of the Buddhist Institute in Ulaanbaatar at the Gandantekchenlin Monastery in 1970. The article is written mainly onthe source base of archival materials stored in the private personal archive of P. B. Baldanzhapov kept in the funds of the Center of Oriental Manuscripts and Xylographs of the IMBT SB RAS, such as personal correspondence, copies and drafts of letters of appeals to government and other administrative organizations, plans and programs of visits and receptions of foreign delegations, reports and messages, drafts of articles, photographs. While writing the article, such research methods were used as historical retrospective, which showed the reason for the decline of Buddhist traditions by the early 60s of the last century, a comparative method that allowed assessing the contribution of Buddhist figures in historical perspective, as well as content analysis used for working with archival documents. Results. It has been stated that since the late 50-ies the policy of the Soviet government towards all confessions, including Buddhist, has changed. The main reason for which were political interests of the state aimed at improving its political image in the world, in expanding international relations of the USSR with the states of Southeast Asia, which allowed the Central Religious Board of the Buddhists of the USSR to establish ties with foreign Buddhist organizations and prominent religious public figures of other countries. Since the mid-60-70-ies, due to the joint efforts of Buryat and Mongolian Buddhist figures, actions were initiated for obtaining permission to open a Buddhist educational institution in Ulan-Bator, with the opening of which in 1970 the main threat to the existence of the Buddhist church among the Mongolian peoples was solved t.e. the disappearance of the system of education and training of young lamas.

Goals. The purpose of the publication is to introduce into scientific circulation previously unknown documentary sources connected with the organization of the Museum of Oriental Cultures at the Buryat Institute of Social Sciences of the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences. Materials and Methods. A frontal search was carried out in the personal archive fund of Purbo B. Baldanzhapov, kept at the Center of Oriental Manuscripts and Xylographs of the Institute for Mongolian, Buddhist and Tibetan Studies, SB RAS.The classification and systematization of the identified array of office-work materials was carried out, the types of documents have been identified, their thematic and chronological spectrum was determined. Results. It was determined that the F29 collection contained Purbo Baldanzhapov`s memoranda, reference materials, personal letters to the leaders of the Buryat ASSR about the urgent need to expand the USSR’s ties with the countries of the East, Buddhist organizations and individual figures, about the necessity of formation of a specialized department — the Museum of Oriental Cultures.The article also analyzes the block of administrative office documentation, containing orders of the Buryat Institute of Social Sciences on the formation of the Museum, the Regulations on the Museum, staffing, work reports. Conclusions. As a result of the study, a unique documentary array has been revealed showing, on the one hand the history of one of the stages of the formation of oriental studies in Transbaikalia, on the other — a little-known page in the history of museum affairs in the region.It is emphasized that these materials reflect the mechanisms, forms and methods of organizing scientific and museum activities in the second half of the 1960s. — the period of reforms and reorganizations in Soviet science. The identified sources will become the basis for further research by historians, orientalists, museologists, etc.

Introduction. The article deals with The Atlas of Tibetan Medicine and examines a history of its studies at the Buryat Institute of Social Sciences from new perspectives. Goals. To facilitate this, the work aims to 1) examine a history of the Buryat copy and attempt its attribution, 2) investigate the Orientalist P. B. Baldanzhapov’s personal contribution to the exploration and preservation of the monument, and 3) identify specific features of cultural interaction in the cross-border Buddhist region of Russia and Tibet. Materials and methods. The article analyzes archival and literary documents, field records, and electronic sources. It uses modern methods of historical science, including the concept of ‘intellectual biography’. Therein, intelligence is understood as a psychological aspect, a quality of personality that takes its complete shape on the basis of moral principles. Results. The Atlas of Tibetan Medicine is a corpus of illustrations to Vaidurya sNgon-po (Tib. ‘Blue Beryl’), a commentary to rGyud-bZhi (‘Four Tantras’). Its excellent copy dated to the late 19th and early 20th centuries was once owned by Buryat datsans (monasteries), and since 1936 has been stored at the National Museum of Buryatia. The study of the forgotten monument was initiated by Baldanzhapov in 1968 when he organized a scientific department at the Buryat Institute of Social Sciences, and the research team included both secular and clerical scholars, i. e. previously repressed Buryat Buddhist monks with expertise in Tibetan, philosophy, and medicine. Notably, the work on the study and preservation of the monument had a moral, ethical significance to Baldanzhapov psychologically motivated as an intellectual shaped by the Buddhist milieu and Buddhist teachers. Being an Orientalist scholar at an academic institution, he had the resources and opportunities to fulfill his mission and — in an atheist state — return monuments of Buddhist culture to the world. Conclusions. The authentic materials analyzed attest to that the active processes of cultural interaction in the Buddhist cross-border region of Russia and Tibet resulted in that The Atlas of Tibetan Medicine and other valuable monuments were delivered to Buryatia. The paper also stresses a uniqueness of the monument and shows the invaluable personal contribution of the prominent Orientalist Baldanzhapov to its study and preservation.

The article examines one of the aspects of the creative heritage of Purbo Baldanovich Baldanzhapov (1921–1991), the eminent scholar of history and culture of Mongolian-speaking peoples. The study is of relevance, granted the importance of his field work and materials collected in the expeditions, including the data on the history and culture of Buryats, Mongolians, and Tuvans that need to be published. The article aims to give an estimate of Baldanzhapov’s scholarly work and of his role for the development of science in Buryatia and to introduce his field materials to make them available for scientific study. For the purpose, methods of source studies were used for the description and analysis of the field materials under study and the biographical method was employed in the estimation of the scholar’s contribution to the study of the history and culture of the Mongolian-speaking peoples. Materials used for the research were his field reports, reports, expedition diaries, and notebooks kept in the scholar’s personal archive (f. no. 29) at the Center for Oriental Manuscripts and Xylographs of the Institute of Mongolian Studies, Buddhology and Tibetology, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Results. While he was involved in numerous scholarly activities, Baldanzhapov focused on the collection and identification of written monuments, especially Mongolian chronicles and works on Indo-Tibetan medicine. As a member of historical- ethnographic expeditions, he collected data on shamanistic rituals, Buryat clans and families, folklore, and ethnography. His data on the spiritual culture of the Buryats and Mongolians, the transformation of Mongolian society and the development of school education in Mongolia substantially supplement and concretize the history and culture of the peoples under study. Conclusions. Baldanzhapov managed to implement several large projects for the study of written sources, the spiritual culture of the Buryats and Mongolians, and Indo-Tibetan medicine. The draft records of most field materials are not easy to work with, but they are sure to be of relevance for the researchers in the field. Notably, in terms of their thematic coverage, the archival materials, Mongolian and Tibetan manuscripts and xylographs, microfilms, which the scholar managed to collect, are unique in the collection of the Center of Oriental Manuscripts and Xylographs of the Institute for Mongolian, Buddhist and Tibetan Studies (SB RAS).

Introduction. In 1958, the Mongolian Academy of Sciences launched the “Monumenta Historica” series, which was to become the main venue of modern historical science in Mongolia for over fifty years of research in the field. Several factors were influential for the series reputation: i) leading Mongolian scholars, as well as scholars outside of Mongolia, worked hard in the country and abroad to collect a large amount of material on Mongolian sources; ii) the Mongolian-Soviet team of scholars published “History of Mongolia”, which contributed to the study of research methods of historical sources; and iii) a large number of sources and scholarly works were published by Russian and Soviet scholars at the time, including such authors as A. M. Pozdneev, Ts. Zh. Zhamtsarano, L. S. Puchkovsky, N. P. Shastina, S. D. Dylykov, etc. whose contribution to the development of the source studies was invaluable. Among these scholars, we would like to single out Purbo B. Baldanzhapov. The present article aims to describe Baldanzhapov’s contribution to the study of Mongolian historical sources. Materials and methods. The main research methods employed for the study were biographical, historical-problematic, and historical-descriptive. Baldanzhapov’s major publications in the field and a wide range of published sources on Mongolian history were the materials selected for the undertaken research. Results. The scholar’s studies were focused on the main sources on the history of Mongolia, such as Galdan’s “Erdeniin Erikhe” (Precious Rosary), “Tsagaan tukhe” (White History), “Altan Tobchi” (Golden History) by Mergen-gegen, etc. He had an excellent command of Mongolian script, perfectly understood the content of the original monuments, and was a master of the source analysis. Baldanzhapov made several visits to Mongolia and during his stays copied many sources, including “Tsagaan tukhe” from the collection in the library of the Gandantegchenlin monastery. Conclusions. Granted a close friendly relationship between Baldanzhapov and the first editor-in-chief of the “Monumenta Historica”, Sh. Natsagdorj, who knew each other since their postgraduate days in Moscow, it may be assumed that the latter’s knowledge of his friend’s research methodology, as well as of Baldanzhapov’s published works had an overall influence on the methodology of publications in the series. Baldanzhapov’s studies of Mongolian sources have not lost their relevance, his elaborate contributions to Mongolian history and written tradition studies have served as a methodological guide for young Mongolian scholars.

Introduction. The present article discusses the history of one of the most important monuments of Mongolian linguistic heritage “The Commentary on ‘Jirüken-ü tolta-yin tayilburi’”, a grammar treatise, which was published by Purbo Baldanzhapov with the textological analysis of the source. The author aims to study Baldanzhapov’s work and his contribution to the study of Mongolian grammar treatises; also, to clarify the authorship of the source in question. Materials and methods. For the purpose, most appropriate were general scientific methods and approaches, such as historical-comparative and historical-descriptive, as well as special methods of source studies and critical analysis of the text. Baldanzhapov’s monograph “Zurkhny Toltyn Tailburi” (Ulan-Ude, 1962) and publications of other authors on the subject, as well as Mongolian historical sources were used as the database of the research. Results. Baldanzhapov’s «Commentary to “the Zurkhen tolt”: Mongolian Linguistic Text of the Eighteenth Century» is, to date, the most complete and exhaustive study of the Mongolian grammar treatise, highly appreciated by scholars in Mongolia and outside the country, and widely used by researchers on the history of the Mongolian language and linguistics. Having undertaken the textual analysis of several works, the scholar convincingly argued that the author of this grammatical work was Molom Ravjamba Danzandagva. However, there are several points of view on Danzandagva’s background; the present author introduces new data that sheds light on the author of the “The Commentary on ‘Jirüken-ü tolta-yin tayilburi’” who was also named Uzemchin Molom Ravjamba.

Introduction. The southern Chinese empire of Eastern Jin, which lost its northern lands in 316, did not lose hope of reclaiming its territories. The East Jin commander Huan Wen undertook three military expeditions to Northern China: the first campaign of 354 (against the northwestern “barbarian” kingdom of the Di clan — Former Qin), the second campaign of 356 (against the rebellious Northern Chinese barbarian general Yao Xiang), and the third campaign of 368 (against the Xianbei kingdom of Former Yan). The purpose of the article was to give a general overview and a brief analysis of the events associated with the three campaigns, as well as to identify the causes and consequences of the victories and defeats of the Chinese side. Materials and methods. The main research methods were historical-genetic, historical-biographical, and historical-geographical analysis of relevant events and personalities. The major source of information about the events associated with Huan Wen’s three campaigns to the North is the official dynastic history “History of the Jin [Dynasty]” (“Jin Shu”), namely the Zaiji section and the Liezhuan biographical section. Results. The unsuccessful outcome of the initially successful campaigns of Huan Wen may be explained by the factional struggle between the capital (Yangzhou) and regional (Jingzhou) groupings of the ruling elite of the Eastern Jin state, as well as the general degradation of the central government apparatus. The crushing defeat of the third northern campaign led to the loss of the territories in Central China previously conquered by the Jin army and the decline of the court career of Huan Wen himself. But his clan remained an influential power in the Jingzhou region.

This article continues the study of the traditional musical culture of the Eastern Khori-Buryats, based on rare archival material of the audio collection of the famous orientalist Purbo Baldanovich Baldanzhapov (1921–1991). The research was started by the author in 2014 in the article “Materials of P. B. Baldanzhapov as a source for studying the song tradition of the Khori-Buryats”. The aim of this article is to represent the early folklore genres of the ceremonial traditional music of the Eastern Khori-Buryats. In the article the methods of genre and structural-typological analysis of folklore works recorded by P. B. Baldanzhapov were used. The study of the Khori-Buryat ritual song tradition, as a system, entailed the involvement of a structural and functional method, which allowed us to consider various aspects of the ritual and ritual complex of the eastern Khori-Buryats. The traditional musical culture of the Eastern Khori-Buryats can be divided into two genre groups (ceremonial and non-ceremonial). The ritual music of P.B. Baldanzhapov’s audio collection includes wedding songs (Uusyn duunuud), the ancient ritual dance Neryelge and accompanying songs (Neryelgyn or Neryeenei duunuud), the glorification of the horse by Morinoy solo, Buddhist Maani chants. The second group includes such genres of non-ritual sphere as uligers (Ulgernuud), historical songs (Tuuhyn duunuud) about Shilde Zangi, magtals to parents (Magtaalnuud), ring songs (Beheligey duunuud), comic songs (Shog duunuud). In this article, special attention is paid to the unique, but already lost genres of ritual music of Khori-Buryats – Neryelgyn duunuud, accompanying the ritual dance of Neryelge and the glorification of the horse (Morinoy solo), who won the race. The analysis of the semantics of poetic texts and musical intonations of Neryelgyn duunuud and Morinoy solo allows us to attribute these genres to the early folklore layer of the traditional musical culture of the Eastern Khori-Buryats and to reveal the semantic connection with the mythology and religion of the early nomads. Of course, in the future research it is necessary to continue studying the works of non-ritual traditional music of the Khori-Buryats from the collection of P.B. Baldanzhapov. The analyses of these samples of song folklore might allow to carry out the notation of Morinoy’s solo samples with their subsequent musical analysis and publication. One of the promising areas of research may be the reconstruction of these rare and unique genres of ritual music of the Khori-Buryats in the context of a comparative historical study of the cultural traditions of the Turkic-Mongolian peoples.

Introduction. The article provides a partial statistical analysis of the database of Red Army servicemen conscripted in the Kalmyk ASSR and later identified as KIAs, DOWs and MIAs During the Great Patriotic War. Goals. The article compiles a database of Red Army conscripts from the Kalmyk ASSR further categorized as ‘fatal casualties’ and attempts a statistical analysis by places of service and death. Materials and methods. The paper examines data borrowed from volumes 1 and 2 of the edition titled ‘Memory. Sanl’. The reconstruction of missing materials on places of service and death involved the use of archival documents available at Pamyat Naroda (People’s Memory) and OBD Memorial online databases. The author employs a wide range of scientific methods, both general scientific and historical ones. The need for statistical analysis results in the wide use of statistical and extrapolation methods. Results. The work shows that both the volumes contain quite a number of inaccuracies in names of geographical objects, errors in military unit numbers, clerical errors in actual dates. Nonetheless, the present compiled and corrected database contains a significant portion of statistical data on places of service and death, and further use of the latter will contribute to the research of a collective portrait of Red Army servicemen conscripted in the Kalmyk ASSR during the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945.

Introduction. The article describes the dispatch of Kalmyk Prince Donduk-Dashi to St. Petersburg in the fall of 1737. It also publishes documents on this event housed by the National Archive of the Republic of Kalmykia. Materials. The examined archival materials are mostly clerical papers contained in Collection И-36 ‘Executive Attached to Kalmyk Affairs Commission under Astrakhan Governor. Results. The work introduces complete texts of 10 documents subdivided into decrees, reports, orders, road documents and instructions issued by various authorities and officials. Conclusions. The mentioned collection contains information regarding the backgrounds of Donduk-Dashi’s dispatch, and covers only a part of the journey to St. Petersburg. The described stage lasted from October 6 to November 2, 1737. During this period, Donduk-Dashi and his retinue sailed and drove from Astrakhan to the Novokhoperskaya fortress through such settlements as Cherny Yar, Popovitskaya station, Tsaritsyn, and Lovlinskaya stanitsa. This stage of the delivery of Donduk-Dashi from Astrakhan to St. Petersburg involved over a hundred Russian military and civil officers.

Introduction. The article publishes a report delivered at the Thirteenth Congress of Orientalists and deals with problems of searching materials on repressed Kalmyks and their 1944–1957 life in Siberia with special emphasis be laid on their preservation and duplication for specialists in Kalmyk studies. Materials and methods. The study employs a wide range of research methods, both common scientific (analysis, synthesis, etc.) and special historical ones (historical genetics, historical systemic methods, etc.). The comparative historical methods proves instrumental in identifying actual storage and access conditions at archives across dif-ferent regions, agencies, and authorities. Results. The paper covers the Siberian period of the repressed Kalmyk people’s life between 28 December 1943 and 9 January 1957. The ‘thirteen years and thirteen days’ — to have become a somewhat fixed folklore formula — witnessed tremendous hardships and miseries experienced and survived by two thirds of the population only. Part 1 of the article reviews the deportation proper (Operation Ulusy and other similar forced relocations). Special attention is paid to that the causes proclaimed in the official decree by the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Council were completely groundless and had noth-ing to do with reality. The geography of Kalmyk Deportation, living conditions, and typical problems faced by repressed Kalmyks are also outlined. The work emphasizes demographic losses of the ethnos. Part 2 shall examine the problems of searching and preserving related archival materials on Siberian life of the Kalmyks in 1944–1957.

Introduction. Gift exchange is a culturally marked behavioral stereotype that often serves an essential element of traditional customs and rites among various peoples. Gift acts as an additional communication means to establish and maintain good relations: it is the regulating function which is viewed somewhat central therein by anthropology, culturology, social psychology, and ethnolinguistics. Monuments of 18th century Kalmyk official writing — and specifically letters by Khan Ayuka — contain messages about gifts to be delivered to the addressee by his envoys, and thus can provide information on gifting etiquette and introduce materials on culturally marked language units. Goals. The article attempts an analysis of messages about gifts in Khan Ayuka’s 1688 –1719 official letters and their Russian translations stored at the Russian State Archive of Ancient Acts. Materials and methods. The mentioned documents are examined for translation strategies of culture specific terms with the aid of both synchronous and diachronous Russian texts. The study employs the descriptive, comparative methods, and that of contextual analysis. Results. The conventionally laconic messages about gifts take final positions — and almost never a central one. Explication of the addressee as a recipient of the gift is usually avoided only to be included when it comes to explain the reason of gifting. Language materials contain culture specific units denoting such gifts. Khan Ayuka’s letters reflect the tradition of gifting horses, upper garments, cloths, some other elements. The culturally marked lexemes (including non-equivalent ones) to shape the semantic field of gift are however distinguished by the word combination arčiultai idēn with still unclear denotative meanings. So, the synchronous Russian translations with gift givers, recipients and gifts proper identified exactly enough the phrase is articulated as a ‘kerchief of berries’ which on the one side clarifies the extralinguistic basis of the item but on the other side fills far not all semantic gaps of the ethnolinguistic concept.