Introduction #
Original report in Russian:
Citation for the original report:
Shishmarev, IA. P., 1873. Marshrut iz Urgi v Khlassu [Route from Urga to Lhasa]. Izvestiya Imperatorskogo Russkogo Geograficheskogo Obshchestva [Proceedings of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society], Vol. IX, No. 6, p. 449. (In Russian).
Numbers like — 186 — represent the page numbers in original document.
Translated text #
PROCEEDINGS
OF THE IMPERIAL RUSSIAN GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY
FOR THE YEAR 1873
PUBLISHED UNDER THE EDITORSHIP OF
THE SOCIETY’S SECRETARIES
COUNT K. F. LITKE (Nos. 1–3)
AND M. I. VENYUKOV (Nos. 4–10)
VOLUME IX
ST. PETERSBURG
PRINTED AT THE PRESS OF BEZOBRAZOV & CO.
(Vasilievsky Island, 8th Line, No. 45)
1873
Route from Urga to Khlasa.
It is known that the Kutukhta-Gegen of Urga is one of the most important figures in the Buddhist hierarchy and holds great influence over the Mongols. The Chinese government surrounds him with all manner of honor and respect precisely because his loyalty to the court in Peking greatly ensures the peace of Mongolia. When one Kutukhta dies—or, as the Lamaites believe, is reincarnated—efforts are usually made to quickly find his successor, that is, the person into whom the soul of the deceased Khubilgan has migrated. Naturally, the new Kutukhta is always an infant.
According to a custom established by Chinese policy, this infant is born in Tibet and there receives recognition of his hierarchical rank from the Dalai Lama, after which he is sent to Urga. To receive him from the Dalai Lama and escort him to Khalkha, the Mongols send a large delegation, which follows a designated route to Lhasa and back. This route is established by the Chinese government after long and careful investigations across the territory from the banks of the Tola River to the heart of Tibet, and it cannot be altered without especially significant reasons.
Despite the fact that such missions for the Kutukhta are not uncommon, the route remained unknown until recently. It was only recently provided to the Asian Department by the Urga consul, our esteemed colleague, Ya. P. Shishmarev. Baron F. R. Osten-Sacken had the courtesy to pass it on to the editors of the Izvestiya (Proceedings) journal, and it is published here along with some details about the mission that is currently traveling from Urga to Khlasa, as well as notes referencing Huc, who traveled much of the same road.
Secretary of the Society.
The mission for the Kutukhta, who could not be brought from Tibet to Urga for over four years due to uprisings in Gansu and southern Mongolia incited by the Dungans, finally set out on March 24 of the previous year. By law, the mission consists of:
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— one Van (a prince of the 1st or 2nd rank),
— four lower-ranking princes (Beile, Gong, or Jasak), one from each of the Khalkha khanates,
— one Da Lama from the Shabinar administration,
— the Erdene Khamba,
— and several Chinese officials serving as escorts and secretaries.
In this particular case, the Van was absent because all the high-ranking princes to whom this once highly honorable and coveted mission was offered refused it. Ultimately, the Bogd Khan himself had to decide which of them would later be sent to catch up with the delegation. Up to a thousand devout Mongols voluntarily joined the mission. Over a thousand camels departed from Urga, carrying the Kutukhta’s traveling palace, provisions for both the outward and return journeys, and gifts for the Dalai Lama, the Panchen Bogdo, and other prominent lamas—because, just as one does not go to Rome empty-handed, so too one does not arrive in Lhasa without offerings. The Khalkha Mongols raised a significant sum for these gifts, and even the Chinese residents of Urga contributed a dish, 1,000 liang of silver, and several bolts of silk fabric.
The expedition set out toward the Alashan Van principality and from there to Kokonor, passing through the city of Zhong-lan, the Daitun River, the cities of Xining and Duba. In the regions where the Dungan uprising had not yet been fully suppressed, it was ordered that the Chinese military provide protection for the mission. In addition, 40 Mongolian soldiers under the command of an officer were assigned as an escort. In order to deliver to the Mongols their spiritual leader, the mission was ordered to hasten its return by the end of the current Chinese year—that is, by February 1874 according to our calendar. Considering that the distance from Urga to Lhasa reaches 3,250 versts (approximately 3,470 km or 2,155 miles) and that the route is extremely difficult, it is fair to say that the Peking government entrusted the mission with a very challenging task.
The entire route is divided into three parts: 1) from Urga to the encampment of the Alashan prince, 2) from that encampment to Kokonor, 3) from Kokonor to Lhasa. The first part runs through the lands of the Khalkha Mongols and includes three roads, of which the official one is the central route. However, as this central route is currently not entirely safe, the mission has been permitted to take the eastern one instead. Along the central (i.e., main) route, the overnight stops established by the Chinese government are as follows:
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Jirgalantu, in the domain of prince Na-Beise.
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Bukhu, in the domain of prince Na-Beise.
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Kholbo, in the domain of prince O-Van.
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Khartsa-Burda, in the domain of prince O-Van.
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Boro-Khujir, in the lands of Uitszan-Gun.
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Ulan-Khoshu, in the lands of Uitszan-Gun.
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Uker-Khasha, in the lands of Uitszan-Gun.
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Sangin-Dalai.
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Arain-Gurbany-Khuduk.
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Tsabchir — a station on the main Uliasutai route.
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Dalai-Songi.
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Ongiin-Gol.
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Locality of Unygetu — immediately after crossing the Indyl-Khan-Ula mountain.
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Khariya-Deresu.
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Honin-Dolo.
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Kurimtu.
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Bulak.
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Serun-Bulak — a spring.
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Ulan-Toyron.
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Khuduk.
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Tala.
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Ikhe-Dzakha.
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Ulan Irge-Somo — the border of Khalkha.
24–25) Through the territory of the principality of Orod-Domdo-Gun — two or three days’ journey.
26–30) Through the domain of the Alashan Van — five days to his encampment.
However, the current mission set out for Alashan along a route that runs somewhat farther to the east. Specifically, after passing through the principality of Na-Beise, it continued along the border of the principalities of Tsitsen-Beise and Uitszan-Gun, then through the lands of Tse-Dzasak, Mergen-Van, along the border of Orod-Domdo-Gun and Dzun-Gun, and further through the territories of Alashan, up to the encampment of the local prince.
There is also a third route through Khalkha that leads directly to Kokonor—specifically, from the locality of Unygetu (13) westward, across the Gurban Saikhan mountains, to the Muslim village of Tyaltszin-muchzhan, the Shokhai-keu outpost, the city of Budai, the city of Ganjur-khoto, the locality of Shara-tyuba, Bityr-keu, the city of Shoutzan, the Daitun-muren River, and over the Dolon-daba ridge to Kokonor.
The second part of the route from Urga to Lhasa passes through the lands of the Alashan prince, from his encampment to Lake Kokonor. The designated overnight stops for the mission are as follows:
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Toson-daba — steppe; there is a well and a spring.
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Serge-elisu, meaning “Sandy Mountain” — water from wells.
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Ikhe-tungu — hummocky terrain.
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Dolon-khuduk — before reaching this station, one crosses the Tengri-Elisu sands, meaning the “Sand Sea.” The station itself is also on hummocky ground.
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Chilu-ongotso — the border of Mongolia and Gansu; there is a well.
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San-en-tszin — the Great Wall, a border outpost; mountainous area.
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Sunshan-dashun — near the mountains there is a Lamaist monastery; water is obtained from wells. This area is considered part of Andu (i.e., Amdo).
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Zhonglong-khoto — a small Chinese town with a small military garrison.
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Dabanai-ara — the northern slope of a large ridge lying to the north of the Daitun River.
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Daitun river — after crossing the ridge southward, the mission camps on the riverbank near the ferry.
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Tengri-daba — from the southern bank of the Daitun river begins the large Tengri-daba ridge; after crossing it, the overnight stop is at its southern base.
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Yambai-khoto — a small town with a Chinese military detachment.
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Maksan-khla — a small Lamaist monastery on a mountain cliff; a stream flows nearby.
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City of Xining-fu — near the city is a bridge crossing the Huangshui River, called Tengri-gur, meaning “Heavenly bridge.”
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Duba — a small Tatar town.
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Dongor or Dangor — 50 li from Duba; 10 li from here is the border of the Kokonor administration.
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Tsongu — a river.
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Lake Kokonor — reached by crossing the small Kere-khutul ridge. The mission usually stops either at the Khara-gol River or at the settlement of Usun-shibe, surrounded by swamps, in the middle of which lies a beautiful meadow.
At Kokonor, the mission stays for a fairly long time in order to wait out the hot season and to feed the camels and other livestock. It is also here that surplus camels, carts, and heavy loads needed for the return journey to Urga are left behind. For storage purposes, they use the small fortress of Kyrmy, which belongs to Prince Houli-beise and is enclosed by a wall measuring 70 sazhen (about 150 meters) in both length and width.
The third part of the mission’s route is the journey from Kokonor to Khlasa. Departing from the encampment and crossing the Ikhe-ulan river, the expedition makes stops at the following locations:
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- Baga-Ulan.
- Chzhirimtai — a channel off the Chzhirimtai river; overnight stop near the bank of the Bogoy-gala river.
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Dynzhin.
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Nukutu-daba — on the southern side of the ridge of the same name.
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Dolon-kid — meaning “Seven Monasteries.”
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Sergei — springs and mud.
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Balangatai — a river.
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Dalan-turu — a river; the area is muddy.
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Tsaidam-bayin-gol — a river.
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Border between two of the 33 Kokonor dzasaks: specifically, the western Buintu-dzsak and the eastern Undzan-dzasak.
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Northern slope of the Shugei Ridge. From the border of the two dzasaks, there are two roads that converge at the ridge: the first, eastern one crosses Mount Burkhan-bogdo; the second, western one bypasses the mountain and runs along the bank of the Balanantai river.
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Gunyay-gardza — a locality on the southern side of the Shugei ridge and river of the same name. After crossing this ridge, the land becomes completely deserted, with no settled or nomadic inhabitants; the land itself is considered unclaimed. Only after the Ushige Ridge, i.e., after 19 more stages, does settlement reappear—now under Tibetan administration. In these areas, wild yaks, wild donkeys, elk, argali, steppe goats, and others are found (*).
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One day’s journey south of Gunyay-gardza.
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Bukhui-tsagan mountain — overnight stop at its base, on the shore of a small lake.
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Solongo-khongor spring.
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Kuytun-shara — overnight stop by a spring.
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Southern base of the Bayan-Khara Ridge, which is crossed at this stage.
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Tsagan-obotu. On this day, they cross the fairly large and swift Galdzur-ulan-muren river, undoubtedly a tributary of the Yang-tze-k’yan.
(*) From Xining-fu onward, the current route coincides with the path taken by Huc, who describes several localities under exactly the same names—for example, Burkhan-bogdo, Shukhei, and so on. This circumstance gives the route particular interest and, together with the names of certain locations in Mongolia whose positions are already known (for example, Tsabchir), makes it possible to plot the entire embassy route on the map more or less accurately. — Editor.
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Tsagan-Tologoi (*) — not far from the Mur-usu river (called Muruy-usu by Huc, Yang-tze-k’yan).
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Burkhan-busu.
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Near Lama-tologoi mountain.
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Kuku-chilu — Mur-usu river.
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Dumbyr — Mur-usu river.
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Lake Inderi-nor — a small lake.
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Nubchitu-ulan-muren — a tributary of the Mur-usu; marshy areas near the river.
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Mur-usu — rest stop on its bank after crossing the Bohumanai mountain pass.
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Mount Adag-khartsag — after the river crossing at Mur-Usu.
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A small river at the base of Dunda-khartsag mountain.
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Northern slope of the Ushige ridge.
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Hot springs on the southern side of the Ushige ridge (mentioned by Huc, who calls this the Tang-la mountains). Here, one begins to encounter the nomadic tribes of Yunshuba and enters the territory under Lhasa’s jurisdiction.
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Bundze-shil.
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Bukgei-gol — a river; nomadic camps of the Dzamari and Dzak tribes, who practice livestock herding.
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Lake Tsulmara — border of Tibet.
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Nanchzhu (in Mongolian, Khara-usu) — a river with settled population (also noted by Huc).
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Locality of Yarmany — the route crosses the Nanzhu River. The road is now passable by carts, and continues so all the way to Lhasa.
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Lalun-garbu river.
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Sanchzhun.
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Choindon-Dyarba (in Mongolian, Naiman-suburga).
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Ladun.
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Khlakhandun.
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Pundo.
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Northern slope of the Chagada ridge.
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Synchzhu-dzon.
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Chzhara-chamo.
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Gan-du.
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Khlasa.
(*) The Tsagan-tologoi place is notable for the Mongols because it was there that the fifth Kutukhta-gegen of Urga died at the age of 25 during his journey to Khlasa. Upon his death, his companions scattered—some returned to Urga, while others continued on to Tibet.
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Ya. P. Shishmarev, experienced in steppe travel, estimates that caravans in Mongolia cover up to 40 versts (42.7 kilometers or 26.5 miles) per day, but no more than 30 in the mountains. Based on this, he calculates the total length of the route from Urga to Lhasa to be 3.250 versts (3.470 km or 2.155 miles), which is likely very close to the truth, as the distance between these cities—via Xining-fu and Kokonor—in straight lines on the map is 2.500 versts (2.667 kilometers or 1.657 miles).