МОНГОЛ УЛСЫН ЕРӨНХИЙЛӨГЧ ХАЛТМААГИЙН БАТТУЛГЫН ИВЭЭЛ ДОР ЗОХИОН БАЙГУУЛСАН

БОГД ХААН-150: ТҮҮХ, СОЁЛ, ӨВ

ОЛОН УЛСЫН ЭРДЭМ ШИНЖИЛГЭЭНИЙ ХУРАЛ

KAROLINA ZYGMANOWSKA

АМЬД БУРХАН, УЛС ТӨРИЙН УДИРДАГЧ, БОДИТ ХҮН: ӨРНӨДИЙН ЖУУЛЧДЫН ДУРСАМЖ, ТЭМДЭГЛЭЛ ДЭХ VIII БОГД ЖАВЗАНДАМБА ХУТАГТЫН ДҮР ТӨРХ

2019 ОНЫ 10 САРЫН 11. ТӨРИЙН ОРДОН. УЛААНБААТАР ОЛОН УЛСЫН ЭРДЭМ ШИНЖИЛГЭЭНИЙ ХУРЛЫН ӨГҮҮЛЛИЙН ЭМХЭТГЭЛ

АМЬД БУРХАН, УЛС ТӨРИЙН УДИРДАГЧ, БОДИТ ХҮН: ӨРНӨДИЙН ЖУУЛЧДЫН ДУРСАМЖ, ТЭМДЭГЛЭЛ ДЭХ VIII БОГД ЖАВЗАНДАМБА ХУТАГТЫН ДҮР ТӨРХ

K a r o l i n a Z y g m a n o w s k a П о л ь ш и й н м о н г о л ч э р д э м т э н , доктор (Ph.D)

Товч агуулга: Энэхүү нийтлэл нь XIX ба XX зуунд Монголд зочилж байсан Америк, Баруун Европын аялагчдын VIII Богд Жавзандамба хутагтын тухай үлдээсэн бичмэл дансыг судлахад зориулагдсан болно. Өгүүлэл нь VIII Богд Жавзандамба хутагтыг монголчуудын улс төр, шашны удирдагч хэмээн өрнөдийн ойлголттой болохын тулд тэдгээр баримт бичгүүдийн үндэслэл, найдвартай байдал, санаа бодлыг харгалзан үнэлэх зорилготой юм.

Түлхүүр үгс: VIII Богд Жавзандамба хутагт, Өрнөдийн орнуудын аялагч, Фрэнсис Август Ларсон, Юлийус Прайс, Беатрис Булстроде, H.G.C. Перри-Айско, Рой Чапман Эндрюс.

A LIVING GOD, A POLITICAL LEADER, A HUMAN BEING: THE IMAGE OF THE 8TH JAVZANDAMBA KHUTUKTU IN THE MEMORIES OF THE WESTERN TRAVELLERS

K a r o l i n a Z y g m a n o w s k a Dr. Ph.D, Independent researcher, Poland

Abstract: The article is devoted to the investigation of written accounts left by American and Western European travelers visiting during the lifetime of the 8th Javzandamba Khutuktu. The article aims to evaluate those documentin regard to the background, reliability,and intentions of their authorsin order to provide a complex overview of the Western perception of the 8th Javzandamba Khutuktu as a political and religious leader of the Mongols. Key words: the 8th Javzandamba Khutuktu, the Bogd Gegeen, Western travelers, Frans August Larson, Julius Price, Beatrix Bulstrode, H.G.C. Perry-Ayscough, . & Among numerous memories, travel logs, and articles written by explorers visiting Mongolia in 19th and 20th centuries there is hardly any that would not mention, at least in a couple of sentences, the spiritual and political leader of the Mongols - the 8th Javzandamba

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Khutuktu(1869-1924). Some of the publications describe direct interactions with the Bogd Gegeen, while others narrate accounts of visitors, who had to rely on rumors and stories provided by their peers. One of the earliest, if not the first, mentions of the 8th Javzandamba Khutuktu appeared in the memoirs of an American journalist, Julius Price, who in 1891 briefly visited Mongolia on his way to . The American, who met the Bogd Gegeen by accident, described him as “…a pale-faced youth dressed in bright yellow silk, … who looked something like an Englishman got up for a fancy-dress ball….“While the two of them were unable to communicate due to the lack of a common language, Price assured his readers that he heard of the Javzandambathat “…he is different stamp to his predecessor and is, for a Mongol [sic], a most enlighten man, taking a great interest in all modern subjects and inventions. He has even had his photo taken (for strictly private circulation only), and has a piano in his place, which was presented to him by a former Russian consul here…” (Price 1892:280-281, 279). Although Price never clarified, who was his source of information, his lackof knowledge of Mongolian and Mandarin, as well as, his very poor Russian skills allow to easily exclude the Mongols. Furthermore, the journalist arrived in Mongolia prior to the birth of any form of Western community in the country and was very likely the only non-Russian foreigner present in the region at the time. Therefore, the description of the 8th Javzandamba’s character originated most likely from the English speaking Russians, possibly even the Russian Consul to Mongolia, and one can assume that the image he created in his memoirs reflected the positive outlook of the Russian diplomats. Russian sentiments continued to influence the Western perception of th the8 Javzandamba in the following decades and,as their opinion of the Bogd Gegeen changed, so did the information provided to and by the Western travelers. Majority of those amateur explorers had little if any knowledge of the local language and customs,1 and were never provided an opportunity to see the 8thJavzandamba from a closer proximity or meet him in person. Hence, they had to rely entirely on the opinions of others and it was up to their analytic skills and attitude to give those rumors a broader context. An example of that can be found in 1913 accounts left separately by Henry George Charles Perry-Ayscough and Beatrix Bulstrode. Perry-Ayscough, a well-rounded, British officer working as a postmaster , came to the region encouraged by the British advisor to , George Ernest Morison, who wished to gather more information on the situation in Mongolia, the government of which announced an independence form the Qing Empire (1644-1911) less than two years earlier. Perry-Ayscough was a good friend of the Russian Plenipotentiary to Mongolia, Ivan YakovlevichKorostovets, and strongly relied on the support of the Russian diplomats to organize the journey. They were the main source of his knowledge of the region and he hardly ever directly interacted with the Mongols.

1 The neutral opinions on the Bogd Gegeen were relatively rare and mostly came from diplomats and intelligence agents, such as Dr. Thomas Gatrell or Sir Somerville Head, who arrived in Mongolia better prepared than average explorer. They however were known only to small audience and did not shaped public view of the Javzandamba. 198 ОЛОН УЛСЫН ЭРДЭМ ШИНЖИЛГЭЭНИЙ ХУРЛЫН ӨГҮҮЛЛИЙН ЭМХЭТГЭЛ

The outlookPerry-Ayscoughhad on Mongolia and the Mongols was certainly not unbiased. However, he made an effort to maintain neutral views, when speaking about state of affairsand did not engaged in gossips. He also majorly focused on the political aspect of his research. In regard to the Javzandamba’s engagement in the independence movement the explorer simply noted that “…In July 1911 the Hu-tuk-tu took matters into his own hands. He presided over a meeting of certain influential Mongol princes, and at this meeting it was resolved to seek the Tsar’s protection…”He also marked the lack of support for Javzandamba in the western part of the country and the increasing opposition on behalf of Ja -Lama in Khovd (Perry-Ayscough1914:19, 109, 228). The balanced and based on personal experience narrative of Perry-Ayscough was an opposite of the memories left by Beatrix Bulstrode, another British explorer, who visited Mongolia in summer 1913 and provided a rather harsh and gossipy evaluation of the 8th Javzandamba. At the time of her visit Bogd Gegeen was plagued by serious health issues and rarely appeared publicly. Despite being aware of that Bulstrode held the Javzandamba’s appearance against him, calling him “…a middle age, already decrepit, in appearance bloated, dissipated, uninspiring…” She ignored the obvious joy of his followers, when he appeared publicly, and commented on his marriage with Queen Dongodulam calling it a violation of Buddhist principles. She even went as far as to repeat a gossip of unknown source accusing the Javzandamba of a murder of “…a well- known Mongol official, whom he is said to have forced into drinking in his presence a cup of poisoned wine…” (Bulstrode 1920:177). Being typical product of her time, Bulstrode tended to look down on non-Western peoples.2 She also lacked knowledge of religious customs and an insight to investigate them on the spot. Therefore, she failedto noticethat among the Mongols, who followed the Tibetan tradition of Buddhism, it was not unheard the lama to revoke his monastic vows in order to marry (Larson 1930:82) and it did not necessarily mean that they would lose their status as a reincarnation or religious teacher.3 As for the murder accusation, Bulstrode could use on her journey only English and although she travelled with a companion, who knew Mandarin to some extent, both of them appeared to have little interaction with local people, who would be able to speak it. Most of their contacts were limited to a Norwegian trader Oscar Mamen, a nameless merchant of German origins, the Russian consul Alexander Miller, and several Russian 2 Bulstrode’s reviewer, the Times correspondent to Beijing, David Fraser, quite well, although possibly unwillingly, summarized Bustrode’s attitude towards the Mongols saying that she was “… particularly instructive in her analysis of Mongol character. The Mongol is simple, happy, good-natured, intensely lazy, and apparently entirely lacking in practical qualities. His very disposition in the cause of his past and present troubles. He is, I short, not fitted to compete with the outside world. Therefore, he has become the sport of other peoples, and the destiny of his land is being decided for him by foreigners…” (Bulstrode 1914: ix). 3 Sects of include a mixture of celibate monks and non-celibate practitioners, and is not unusual for lamas to wear robes closely resembling monastic garb despite them not being monks The author of the article admits the lack of her knowledge of the topic and would like to see one day a deeper research done on the religious aspect of the marriage of the 8th Javzandamba. However, in support of her thesis she would like to offer an example of the ChoekyiGyaltsen, 10th , who despite his marriage and ceasing to wear monk robes, reminded a spiritual leader in the eyes of his supporters. 199 БОГД ХААН-150: ТҮҮХ, СОЁЛ, ӨВ officers, particularly German-speaking Captain Gabrik.Any of those men could procure a gossip regarding the Bogd Gegeen, although Mamen known for his good relations with the Mongol nobles seemed to be an unlikely source. Anyway, the repeated gossip had an outside and unconfirmed origin and was clearly aimed to harm the Javzandamba’s reputation. While it was hard to find among Western publications a narrative that would be as sensationalistas the one of Beatrix Bulstrode, it was not uncommon for the foreign travelers to replicate potentially harmful rumors even in accounts that were supposed to give an overall positive impression of the 8th Javzanbamba. For instance, Roy Chapman Andrews, an American naturalist, who visited Mongolia several time between 1919 and 1925, fondly explained in his 1921 book, Across Mongolian Plains, that: …The Khutukhtu seldom leaves his place now, for he is old and sick and almost blind. Many strange stories are told of the mysterious “Living God” which tend to show him “as of the earth earthy.” It is said that in former days he sometimes left his “heaven” to revel with convivial foreigners in Urga; but all this is gossip and we are discussing a very saintly person. His passion for Occidental trinkets and inventions is well known, however, and his palace is a veritable storehouse for gramophones, typewriters, microscopes, sewing machines, and a host of other things sold to him by Russian traders and illustrated in picture catalogues sent from the uttermost corners of the World. But like a child he soon tires of his toys and throws them aside. He has a motor car, but he never rides in it. It has been reported that his chief use for the automobile is to attach a wire to its batteries and give his ministers as electric shock; for all Mongols love a practical joke, and the Hutukhtu is no exception. Now his palace is wired for electricity, and a great are light illuminates the courtyard…(Andrews 1921: 68) As Price many years ago, Andrews also emphasized natural curiosity of the Bogd Gegeen, his intelligence and interest in foreign technology. He also noted his good nature and likeness of practical jokes that he appeared to share with his subjects. However, later on he could not stop himself from repeating several gossips regarding the Javzandamba’s youth and marked that “…the Hutukhtu of Mongolia…” wrote Andrews “…was an extraordinary individual who took his exalted position seriously enough, I am sure, but wasn’t adverse to having a spot of fun on the side. In his younger days, he was a “bit of a bird” loving inordinately wine, women, and song…”(Andrews : 1945). Who provided the naturalist with such a description of the 8th Javzandamba is unclear, but it could hardly be Russians; Andrews arrived for the first time to Mongolia, while was still struggling with the civil war and was in fact conducting and intelligence reconnaissance on behalf of the American government. In later years, he often found himself at odds with the pro-soviet Mongolian government and rarely maintained relationships with local Buriats or Russians. He was, however, a close acquittance of Frans August Larson, a Swedish missionary, trader and adventurer, who spent over three decades in Mongolia. Thanks to his deep knowledge of the region and very friendly relationship with several high officials of theth 8 Javzandamba’s government, Larson became well-known to Western explorers, who often employed him as a guide and

200 ОЛОН УЛСЫН ЭРДЭМ ШИНЖИЛГЭЭНИЙ ХУРЛЫН ӨГҮҮЛЛИЙН ЭМХЭТГЭЛ translator. The Swede knew Javzandamba in person and meet him more than once during his stay in the country, their first meeting occurring as early as in 1892. He also helped Andrews to arrange an audience with the Bogd Gegeen despite the letter one being very ill at the time. Larson’s experience and connections made him the most probable source of Andrews’ information on the religious leader of the Mongols. One should mark, however, that in his own memories, Larson. Duke of Mongolia, published in 1930, the Swede spoke very highly of the Bogd Gegeen avoiding compromising narrative. His account of the Bogd Gegeen’s character and behavior was one of the most positive among the stories produced by Western travelers. Larson emphasized the 8th Javzandamba’s good nature, sense of humor and kindness he always showed to his followers; despite the Bogd Gegeen living in luxury “…no poor person, priest, or laymanever came to him in trouble… and went away without the Buddha having done everything in his power to make the suffering one’s lot more easy…” (Larson 1930:130). Although Larson did include several stories showing the 8th Javzandamba’s fondness of practical jokes, one would search in vain in his memories any mentions of the Bogd Gegeen being a womanizer or consuming alcohol,4 and as he likely was the only Western citizen, who had such an intimate view into the life and character of the Javzandamba, and left a written account of it, it can make one wonder if Andrews did not add certain information on his own accord to make the description of the young Javzandamba more colorful and interesting to his readers. It would certainly fit his writing style, as in his numerous publications, particularly later ones, Andrews has not always stick to fully to the facts and tended to sensationalize his prose. As for Larson, he addressed the matters such as the marriage of the Javzandamba in the cultural and religious context and emphasizing the support the Javzandamba received from his followers. He also emphasized the improvements that in his opinion occurred in Mongolia once the Javzandmabaand noted that: …The Emperor soon selected ministers and officials. His government ran smoothly… This was a prosperous time in Urga. Life was very gay, and hope ran high…Chinese and Russian merchants did a fine business. Trade throve throughout the empire during his regime. There were no heavy taxes. The roads were filled with big caravans going and coming constantly, winding down across the plain through Kalgan to , or northward into Russia. Mongolia prospered as she has never prospered at any other time during the years that I have lived among her people…(Larson 1930:132). He also tried to explain the pressure the Javzandamba had to face as a political leader of the countryand how the political developments influenced his health and mental state. In 1923, he briefly visited the ’s palace together with another Scandinavian adventurer, . Of this visit he wrote: …He [Jevzandamba] was a sick man when I took my friend, Sven Hedin, to visit him. He was nearly blind, and his heart had been broken by the turn of affairs in Mongolia.

4 Larson made a reference to the Javzandamba drinking French champagne. This could have been, however, licenciapoetica used by Larson to describe the Bogd Gegeen’s life style (Larson 1930: 130). 201 БОГД ХААН-150: ТҮҮХ, СОЁЛ, ӨВ

But he did everything in his power to make Hedin’s visit to Urga a success. He was not only the Living God who gave absolution for their sins twice weekly to Mongolian supplicants at Urga, but a great man who recognized genius in other men when he met it…(Larson 1930:134). Larson’s overall positive account, should be taken with a grain of salt, especially in the context of the documents left by Charles Perry-Ayscough. Clearly the support for the 8th Javzandamba was not as united as the Swede would like it to be. After the revolution of 1911 and the proclamation of the independence form the Qing Empire, Mongolia did also struggle with severe economic problems caused by the outflow of the Chinese merchants and the blockade of trade caused by the military struggle with the Republic of China that broke along the Gobi frontier. However, with even bigger doubt one should approach the accounts such as Bulstrode’s that clearly relied on gossip and ignorance. The variety of ways in which the 8th Javzandamba Khutugtu was presented in Western travel literature shows how multidimensional he was as a historical figure. He was not only a spiritual head of the Buddhist church, but also a political leader facing harmful rumors and his own human faults. His duties and later health issues often held him away from the public, while the lack of common language made impossible for most of foreign visitors to communicate with him in any direct way. In Western literature his image survived in small bits and pieces divided among various more often than not biased travel logs and memories based most of the time on the information provided by local Russian diplomats and sporadically other foreigners living in Mongolia. To obtain an image of the Javzandamba that is as close to the reality as possible, those sources need to be deeply analyze and confronted with each other.

Bibliography: 1. Andrews R. C. 1921.Across Mongolian Plains; a naturalist’s account of China’s “great northwest.” New York: Blue Ribbon Books. 2. Andrews R.C. 1945. Under the lucky star; A lifetime of adventure. New York: Blue Ribbon Books. 3. Bulstrode B. 1920. A Tour in Mongolia. London: Methuen & Co. Ltd. 4. Larson F.A. 1930. Larson. Duke of Mongolia. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company. 5. Perry-Ayscough H.G. C., Otter-Barry R.B. 1914.With the Russians in Mongolia. London: John Lane. 6. Price, J. From the Arctic Ocean to the Yellow Sea: the narrative of a journey in 1890-1891, across , Mongolia, the Gobi Desert, and North China, New York, 1892.

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