Buryat Oral Histories on Inner Asian Pilgrimage: Introducing a New Source
Introduction. Research on Buryat and Kalmyk pilgrimage to Buddhist worshiping sites in Tibet and wider in Inner Asia at the late imperial period mostly focuses on biographies and travel writings of Buddhist clergy, while experience of ordinary pilgrims ― especially of the lay people (Mong. khara...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Российской академии наук, Калмыцкий научный центр
2020-12-01
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| Series: | Oriental Studies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://kigiran.elpub.ru/jour/article/view/2700/2476 |
| _version_ | 1819225727572115456 |
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| author | Sayana B. Namsaraeva |
| author_facet | Sayana B. Namsaraeva |
| author_sort | Sayana B. Namsaraeva |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction. Research on Buryat and Kalmyk pilgrimage to Buddhist worshiping sites in
Tibet and wider in Inner Asia at the late imperial period mostly focuses on biographies and travel writings
of Buddhist clergy, while experience of ordinary pilgrims ― especially of the lay people (Mong. khara
khün) who were actors of this social phenomena ― received limited attention. However, some of the
Buryat ‘oral histories’ about long distance travels to Tibet were recorded later by Buryat intellectuals
(e. g., B. B. Baradiin) to name but a few. Goals. The article aims to introduce one such record made
in 1968 by a rural community school teacher and amateur historian B. B. Namsaraev. Results. The
latter wrote down a life story (Mong. namtar) of Bato Badmaev, an elder from the village of Suduntui,
about his pilgrimage to Tibet between 1901 and 1904. This travelogue by a lay person presents unique
first-hand observations about hardships of the long distance foot pilgrimage to worshiping places
in Urga, Amdo and Tibet ― a wide social phenomenon among Buryats at the beginning of the 20th
century. This ‘oral history’ together with extensive information about infrastructure along the pilgrim
routes (Mongolian and Tibetan families hosting pilgrims and providing meals to them, travel tips
they shared of how to pass the most dangerous hostile deserts and mountain passes, encountering a
yeti snowman (Mong. almaz), etc.) contain emotional remarks about things experienced and bodily
hardships pilgrims faced (thirst, physical exhaustion, extreme temperatures, and so on) ― aspects
which are not covered in travelogues of Buddhist clergy and professional explorers (e. g., merchants,
military specialists) who were in much more privileged travel conditions hiring horses and camels to
carry their goods and belongings. Therefore, the recent publication (2012) of this unique travelogue
made it more accessible and available to a wider a udience. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-23T10:14:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ddf5fd9c236a4308930053081b45d38e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2619-0990 2619-1008 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-23T10:14:12Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | Российской академии наук, Калмыцкий научный центр |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Oriental Studies |
| spelling | doaj.art-ddf5fd9c236a4308930053081b45d38e2022-12-21T17:50:52ZengРоссийской академии наук, Калмыцкий научный центрOriental Studies2619-09902619-10082020-12-0113615581567https://doi.org/10.22162/2619-0990-2020-52-6-1558-1567Buryat Oral Histories on Inner Asian Pilgrimage: Introducing a New SourceSayana B. Namsaraeva0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4670-9448Kalmyk Scientific Center of the RASIntroduction. Research on Buryat and Kalmyk pilgrimage to Buddhist worshiping sites in Tibet and wider in Inner Asia at the late imperial period mostly focuses on biographies and travel writings of Buddhist clergy, while experience of ordinary pilgrims ― especially of the lay people (Mong. khara khün) who were actors of this social phenomena ― received limited attention. However, some of the Buryat ‘oral histories’ about long distance travels to Tibet were recorded later by Buryat intellectuals (e. g., B. B. Baradiin) to name but a few. Goals. The article aims to introduce one such record made in 1968 by a rural community school teacher and amateur historian B. B. Namsaraev. Results. The latter wrote down a life story (Mong. namtar) of Bato Badmaev, an elder from the village of Suduntui, about his pilgrimage to Tibet between 1901 and 1904. This travelogue by a lay person presents unique first-hand observations about hardships of the long distance foot pilgrimage to worshiping places in Urga, Amdo and Tibet ― a wide social phenomenon among Buryats at the beginning of the 20th century. This ‘oral history’ together with extensive information about infrastructure along the pilgrim routes (Mongolian and Tibetan families hosting pilgrims and providing meals to them, travel tips they shared of how to pass the most dangerous hostile deserts and mountain passes, encountering a yeti snowman (Mong. almaz), etc.) contain emotional remarks about things experienced and bodily hardships pilgrims faced (thirst, physical exhaustion, extreme temperatures, and so on) ― aspects which are not covered in travelogues of Buddhist clergy and professional explorers (e. g., merchants, military specialists) who were in much more privileged travel conditions hiring horses and camels to carry their goods and belongings. Therefore, the recent publication (2012) of this unique travelogue made it more accessible and available to a wider a udience.https://kigiran.elpub.ru/jour/article/view/2700/2476‘oral histories’traveloguespilgrimage to tibetburyat lay pilgrimsyeti snowmanurgalhasatransbaikal regionbogdo gegeen |
| spellingShingle | Sayana B. Namsaraeva Buryat Oral Histories on Inner Asian Pilgrimage: Introducing a New Source Oriental Studies ‘oral histories’ travelogues pilgrimage to tibet buryat lay pilgrims yeti snowman urga lhasa transbaikal region bogdo gegeen |
| title | Buryat Oral Histories on Inner Asian Pilgrimage: Introducing a New Source |
| title_full | Buryat Oral Histories on Inner Asian Pilgrimage: Introducing a New Source |
| title_fullStr | Buryat Oral Histories on Inner Asian Pilgrimage: Introducing a New Source |
| title_full_unstemmed | Buryat Oral Histories on Inner Asian Pilgrimage: Introducing a New Source |
| title_short | Buryat Oral Histories on Inner Asian Pilgrimage: Introducing a New Source |
| title_sort | buryat oral histories on inner asian pilgrimage introducing a new source |
| topic | ‘oral histories’ travelogues pilgrimage to tibet buryat lay pilgrims yeti snowman urga lhasa transbaikal region bogdo gegeen |
| url | https://kigiran.elpub.ru/jour/article/view/2700/2476 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sayanabnamsaraeva buryatoralhistoriesoninnerasianpilgrimageintroducinganewsource |