Rethinking of Mongolian History: Mongolian National Revolution of 1911 and The Last Emperor of Mongolia, VIII Bogdo Jebtsundamba Khutukhtu | Prof. Batsaikhan Ookhnoi
October 15, 2019 @ 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
In his lecture, Professor Batsaikhan Ookhnoi reconsiders the role of the 8th Jebtsundamba – in rough terms, the Mongolian equivalent of Tibet’s Dalai Lama at the time – in engineering the national independence of Mongolia from the Qing Empire in 1911. The facts and interpretation of this event are particularly important since, as asserted in his description, it is “the most special historical event that has occurred in the lives of Mongols during the past three hundred years.” Given the heavily propagandized view of Mongolian history that was developed during the Stalinist and the longer socialist era in Mongolia – including demeaning and disparaging characterizations of the 8th Jebtsundamba and of Buddhism generally – such reconsiderations of Mongolian history are especially important and significant at the present time, that is, as the nation asserts its values and its history in relation to its course for the future.
In this time, Professor Batsaikhan argues for the strategically intelligent, foresightful, and politically effective role of the 8th Jebtsundamba in engineering Mongolian independence, including the successful strategic management of Mongolian relations with Russia, China, and also internally vis-à-vis powerful Mongolian nobles and clans.
About ACMS:
The American Center for Mongolian Studies (ACMS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting scholarship in Mongolian Studies.
The ACMS Speaker Series are organized in partnership with the U.S. Embassy and the Natsagdorj Library and provides an important platform for researchers engaged in Mongolia to share their experiences and findings with the public. The event promotes information exchange on a variety of subjects related to Mongolia and is free and open to the public.
