Scientific life. Congresses, conferences, and symposia

On November 16, 2005, the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences hosted the fifth scientific conference "Vladimirtsov Readings", organized by the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Society of Mongolian Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. More than 30 scientists from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Elista, Irkutsk, as well as an employee of the Embassy of Mongolia in Moscow took part in its work. The conference was opened by the Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, President of the Society of Mongolian Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences R. B. Rybakov, who noted that the current conference is being held in preparation for a significant date in the history of the Mongolian people - the 800th anniversary of the formation of a unified Mongolian state (1206) and the next IX International Congress of Mongolian Studies (Ulaanbaatar, August 8-12, 2006 d.), dedicated to the aforementioned event.

Before the conference, a meeting of the Society of Mongolian Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences was held, where R. B. Rybakov gave a brief presentation on the work of the Society in 2001-2005. During this period, a large number of individual and collective monographs, collections of articles, archival materials, and memoirs were prepared and published in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Ulan-Ude, Elista, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk, and other cities. In the series "Classics of Russian Oriental Studies", a three - volume collection of works by the outstanding Russian Mongol scholar, academician B. Ya. Vladimirtsov (compiled by G. I. Slesarchuk, the second volume was also compiled by A. D. Tsendina) was published. In 2005, the Bibliography of Russian works on Mongolian Studies (1945-2000), compiled by E. V. Boikova, was published. The bibliography provides a fairly complete picture of the scope and main directions of development of Soviet / Russian Mongolian studies in the second half of the XX century.

Several scientific conferences were held at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, including international and Russian-Mongolian conferences on "Russia and Mongolia in the light of the Dialogue of Eurasian Civilizations" (Zvenigorod, June 2001). Russian Mongolian scholars actively participated in numerous national and international congresses and conferences, including congresses of orientalists (for example, Moscow, ICANAS-37, 2004, etc.), the VIII Congress of Mongol Studies (Ulaanbaatar, August 2002), PIAC conferences, conferences on nomadism organized by the International Institute for the Study of Nomadic Civilizations (Ulaanbaatar), etc. The fifth issue of the bulletin "Russian Mongolian Studies", dedicated to the memory of one of the founders and long-term head of the Society of Mongolian Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, a prominent Russian orientalist, corresponding member, has been published. RAS V. M. Solntseva.

At the same time, the activities of the Society of Mongolian Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the speaker noted, need further activation and improvement of the forms of work in the new socio-political and financial conditions, changes in the composition of its governing bodies, the resumption of the work of regional branches where they stopped their activities, and improved coordination between the main Mongolian It is necessary to hold conferences "Vladimirtsov Readings" more regularly and promptly, to organize regular publication of the bulletin "Russian Mongolian Studies", to promote the development of scientific cooperation between the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Mongolian Academy of Sciences in the field of social sciences.

The meeting participants approved some changes in the personal composition of the society's management: President-Director of the Institute of Historical and Philological Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences R. B. Rybakov, Vice-Presidents: Academician-Secretary of the Department of Historical and Philological Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Chairman of the Russian part of the Commission of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Mongolian Academy of Sciences for Cooperation in the Field of Social Sciences, Director of the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences Academician A. P. Derevyanko (Novosibirsk), Director of the Institute of the Ministry of Education and Science-

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Corresponding Member B. V. Bazarov (Ulan-Ude), Director of the St. Petersburg Branch of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences I. F. Popova, Director of the Kalmyk Institute for Humanitarian Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences N. G. Ochirova (Elista), Head of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. V. V. Graivoronsky, Head of the Mongolian Branch of the Institute of Information Technology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Department of the Institute of Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences A. S. Zheleznyakov, Executive Secretary of the OM RAS, A. D. Tsendina (RSUH). Many well-known scientists from leading Mongolian studies centers were re-elected as members of the OM RAS Presidium.

The main work of the conference was divided into two sections: "History, Economics, political science, Ethnology "(head-G. S. Yaskina-IB RAS) and " Literary Studies, Linguistics, Folklore studies "(heads-K. N. Yatskovskaya-IB RAS and N. S. Yakhontova-SPb.Institute of Information Technology of the Russian Academy of Sciences). About 30 reports were presented on a wide range of topical, mostly poorly researched, problems of the new and recent history of Mongolia, its current political, socio-economic and cultural development, the history and current state of the study of Mongolian languages, literature, historical and literary monuments, the place and role of Buddhism and other religions in history and modern life countries.

At the session of the first section, G. I. Slesarchuk (Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences), who devoted many years to studying the scientific works and life of B. Ya. Vladimirtsov, preparing for the publication of a three-volume collection of his works, made an interesting report about the epistolary heritage of B. Ya. Vladimirtsov, about his correspondence with famous Russian and foreign Orientalists, including academicians V. M. Alekseev, A. N. Samoilovich, S. F. Oldenburg, French sinologist P. Pelliot, Mongol scholars V. L. Kotvich, A.D. Rudnev, Ts. Zhamtsarano, A.V. Burdukov and others. Unfortunately, many emails were not saved. The speaker emphasized that B. Y. Vladimirtsov's correspondence contains a large number of valuable observations, reflections, and ideas on certain general and particular issues of history, ethnography, linguistics, and literary studies of the Mongolian peoples.

On the eve of the 800th anniversary of the formation of the unified Mongolian state and the 840th anniversary of the birth of its founder Genghis Khan, reports on these events were of particular interest. O. V. Zotov (IB RAS) in the report" Genghis Khan's 'Passion' charisma in the light of Chinese and Russian theories of strategy", using the method of strategic thinking developed by the Russian military The orientalist A. E. Snesarev, as well as a complex system of formulas for the model of the world, tried to give his original interpretation of the charisma of this outstanding figure in Mongolian and world history. In recent years, the interest of Russian, Mongolian and other foreign scholars in Genghis Khan, his successors and the history of the Mongol Empire founded by him has noticeably increased. Scientific and popular scientific works are published in many countries, and films are made. At the same time, a new trend has emerged in the literature about Genghis Khan. A number of historians have appeared who question the seemingly long-proven and irrefutable truth about the Mongol origin of Genghis Khan. Thus, Sht. Nadirov (Institute of History of the Russian Academy of Sciences) in his report "On the issue of Genghis Khan's ethnic origin" entered into a well-reasoned polemic with the famous Kazakh historian K. A. Abramovich. Daniyarov and his followers, who are trying to prove that Genghis Khan was not a Mongol, but a Kazakh.

S. B. Namsarayeva's report "Pinsk Ambani on the History of Mongolia" provides a brief description of a large array of new valuable and little - known sources on the history and geography of Mongolia in the second half of the 17th and early 20th centuries, i.e., the period when it was part of the Qing Empire. These sources, numbering in tens of volumes and thousands of pages, are kept in the archives of China and represent official historical and geographical descriptions of Mongolia, the compilation of which was part of the main responsibilities of the Qing ambans-governors who worked for years in Mongolia. These descriptions were compiled for Lifanyuan, the Qing Empire's Foreign Affairs Chamber, according to a strictly defined scheme in Manchu and Mongolian, were periodically updated and were intended to preserve the continuity of imperial policy in the administration of all the subordinate lands of Inner and Outer Mongolia.

A general description of a new source on the history of the Oirats - Western Mongols, which has not been translated into Russian, is the Oirat manuscript "History of the Dzakhchi Buddhist Monastery", which is kept in Mongolia, was given by K. V. Orlova (Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences).

A. N. Khokhlov (Institute of History of the Russian Academy of Sciences) in the report "Mongolia during the Dungan Uprising in China in the 60-70s. XIX century", based on archival materials, including a note by the Russian Consul in Urga Ya. P. Shishmarev, who served in the diplomatic service in Mongolia for 25 years,

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He spoke about the grave consequences of the devastating raids of Dungan Muslims on the territory of Mongolia, as well as the role of the Russian consulate and the Cossack hundred in preventing them from seizing Urga.

Yu. V. Kuzmin (Irkutsk) presented the report "The Uriankhai border issue and the position of Colonel V. L. Popov", in which he came to the conclusion that the long-term and purposeful activity of this Russian military figure and researcher of the Uriankhai issue on the justification of the Russian-Chinese border along the Tannu-Ola ridge significantly contributed to the final solution of this issue. a controversial issue in favor of Russia.

The place and role of Mongolia in Russia's foreign policy and in Russian-Chinese relations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries were considered in the report of E. V. Voikova "The Mongolian Factor in Russian Politics".

Several reports were devoted to various aspects of Mongolia's recent history and current situation.

In the speech " Some remarks on the political activities of X. Choibalsana" S. K. Roshchin (IB RAS) tried to briefly and objectively analyze the main directions of the multi-faceted and contradictory activities of the famous Mongolian leader, both its positive and negative aspects.

Several reports on political science topics were also presented at the conference. V. V. Rodionov (a graduate student of Moscow State University) devoted his report to the problem of modern Mongolia and its political and intellectual elite searching for their own regional identity within the Asia-Pacific region, determining priorities in the development of relations between Mongolia and the countries of Central Asia or North-East Asia in connection with new foreign policy factors (the policy of the PRC, the USA, Russia, etc.).

G. S. Yaskina (IB RAS) analyzed the dynamics and prospects of integration processes in Northeast Asia, including with the participation of Mongolia. In particular, it concluded that the current state and dynamics of economic cooperation in the NEA show that, despite the rapid economic growth and development of bilateral relations between the countries of the sub-region (primarily trade relations), the level of economic integration in the region is still not high enough and its rapid growth in the near future is very high. it is problematic due to a number of geopolitical, geo-economic and other factors. According to the speaker, at present, Russia's policy towards other NEA countries lacks a healthy pragmatism and a developed national strategy for cooperation in this region.

M. I. Golman (IB RAS) in his report "On the presidential elections in Mongolia" expressed his thoughts on the place and role of the institution of the presidency in the political life of modern Mongolia, the acute internal political struggle during the preparation and conduct of the last presidential elections held in May 2005, in which a candidate from the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party won a convincing victory. parties of N. Enkhbayar.

The peculiarities of social sphere development and reform in Mongolia in the XX-beginning of the XXI century were analyzed in the report of V. V. Graivoronsky (IV RAS). The main attention was focused on the features and first results of the social sector reform in 1990-2005. Along with certain successes in the field of democratization of public life, reform of education, health care and culture systems, many social problems (poverty, unemployment, corruption, etc.), which serve as a breeding ground for social tension and political instability, have not lost their sharpness.

The main trends in the development of the Mongolian economy at the present stage (1990-2005) were highlighted by M. B. Meshchaninov (post-graduate student of the Institute of Economics of the Russian Academy of Sciences). By the mid-1990s, he noted, the country's economy had passed the lowest point of decline and was beginning to gradually pick up. Recent years have seen relatively stable GDP growth (10.6% in 2004), and significant foreign investment has been attracted, with China (38%), Canada (15%), the Republic of Korea (9%), Japan (7%), the United States (almost 5%), and Russia leading the way (about 5%). At the same time, Mongolia's economy is currently unable to develop sustainably without external loans and assistance.

R. Sabirov (ISAA at Moscow State University) in his report "Christianity in Mongolia after 1990" considered the socio-political and economic factors that contributed to the spread of Christianity in Mongolia.

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this non-traditional religion for Buddhist Mongolia, its main trends represented in the country (Protestantism, Catholicism, Orthodoxy, etc.), the number of their followers and the number of temples, types and directions of their activities. According to the speaker, currently the total number of adherents of various Christian movements in Mongolia reaches 10 thousand people and continues to grow further.

Yu.I. Drobyshev (IB RAS) devoted his report to an interesting problem of the place and role of water in the material and spiritual culture of the Mongols based on the materials of historical and literary monuments, traveler's notes, and scientific research. He noted that the Mongols, as typical inhabitants of steppe, semi-desert and desert arid landscapes, have developed their own attitude to water and special traditions of its use in various life situations. Water has always occupied and continues to occupy an extremely important, honorable place in the nomadic culture of the Mongols. At the same time, in modern Mongolia, the role and importance of water continues to increase due to increased desertification, drying up of many rivers and lakes, the development of market relations, increasing urbanization, rural-urban migration, gold mining and other factors, and water supply problems are becoming more acute.

During the work of the philological section, 14 reports were heard. At the session devoted to linguistics, the conference participants discussed a wide range of topics related to almost all areas of Mongolian linguistics. In the speech of the oldest Russian linguist M. N. Orlovskaya (IV RAS), the problems of historical linguistics were raised. M. N. Orlovskaya considered all the forms and functions of the verb aqu, widely used in the Middle Mongolian language, using a large number of interesting examples from the Mongolian chronicles and other written sources in the Old Mongolian language.

D. Ayoush (Attaché of the Embassy of Mongolia in Russia)will speak on this topic. it became the modern Mongolian language. The speaker compared the case categories in the Mongolian and Russian languages, thus continuing the once extremely developed traditions of comparative linguistics in Mongolia based on the Russian and Mongolian languages. The report of I. A. Gruntov (Institute of Linguistics of the Russian Academy of Sciences) addressed the issues of etymology. The young scientist identified all the basics of Mongolian words with an initial "L", pointing out that there are very few such words in the Mongolian language, and suggested on this basis that many of them have a borrowed character. N. S. Yakhontova, a researcher from St. Petersburg, spoke about the painstaking work related to the analysis of techniques, rules and errors in translating from Sanskrit to Tibetan, as well as from Tibetan to Mongolian and Oirat, using the example of the Oirat poetic dictionary of the XIX century.

Other Mongolian languages were not forgotten. 77.77. Dambueva (Institute of Linguistics of the Russian Academy of Sciences) analyzed the forms of Buryat service verbs, made a thorough description of their grammatical meanings. V. E. Radnaev (Moscow) presented a report on the history of Mongolian linguistics. He spoke about the assessments of the works of Mongolists-philologists of the first half of the XIX century, given by an outstanding Mongolian linguist, academician Sh. Luvsanvand named after A.D. Tsendina (RSUH) proposed general principles for unifying the spelling of Mongolian names and terms in modern Russian scientific and popular science literature.

Interesting reports were presented by folklorists and literary critics I. V. Kulganek (Spb.Professor of the Russian Academy of Sciences) spoke about new catalogues of Mongolian folklore created in Mongolia on the basis of the largest collection of handwritten folklore materials and audio recordings stored at the Institute of Language and Literature of the Academy of Sciences of Mongolia. This catalog opens up new and incomparably wider opportunities for scientists to study Mongolian folklore. The report of K. N. Yatskovskaya (IB RAS) presented unique and surprisingly poetic songs of a small group of Tsatan reindeer herders living in western Mongolia, as well as translations of these songs and an analysis of their features.

The genre of praise (magtal) and its examples in the oldest written monument of the Mongols -"The Hidden Legend" was considered by E. B. Baldanmaksarov (IMLI RAS). T. Y. Evdokimova (St. Petersburg) turned to the later period of literature development.Institute of Information Technology of the Russian Academy of Sciences). She analyzed the structural features of the latest edition of the essay "Bouquet of White Lotuses" (XIX), written in the tradition of didactic commentary literature of Tibetans and Mongols. This tradition became one of the sources of Mongolian literary literature, and the St. Petersburg scholar showed the gradual growth of fictional and artistic principles in various editions of the work. M. P. Petrova (St. Petersburg State University) analyzed the work of the modern Mongolian writer D. Batbayar, focusing on the image of the author in his works-

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vedas. The pre-Buddhist and Buddhist stages of Kalmyk musical culture development were described by a young researcher from Kalmykia G. Y. Badmaeva.

The conference participants noted that, despite the small number of reports, they managed to discuss important topics that aroused the interest of all participants in a lively, informal communication.

At the final plenary session, section leaders made presentations and summed up the conference results. The participants unanimously noted that the work of the conference was generally successful. About 30 reports were heard, most of which represented a new and valuable contribution to the development of the main areas of Russian Mongolian studies that B. Ya. Vladimirtsov actively developed - history, literary studies, linguistics, source studies, and ethnography.

The conference convincingly showed that Russian Mongolian studies as a whole is not fading away, does not stand still, but is intensively developing in many traditional and new directions in many cities and research centers - Moscow, St. Petersburg, Ulan-Ude, Elista, Irkutsk, etc.

Most modern Russian historians, economists, political scientists, and philologists-Mongol scholars are characterized by the desire to get rid of outdated approaches, schemes, and assessments, and to approach the analysis of many historical and contemporary phenomena, events, and personalities in a new way. At the same time, in the course of scientific discussions, significant differences in approaches and estimates were often observed. The clash of different views and points of view is the key to successful progress in the search for scientific truth.

It is gratifying to note that along with older and middle-aged Mongolian scholars who have been working fruitfully in their chosen field of science for a long time, there are young talented researchers who presented interesting and informative reports at the conference.

The conference participants unanimously supported the proposal to hold conferences "Vladimirtsov Readings" more regularly, at least once every three years. Taking into account that until now there is no unified, generally accepted system of writing Mongolian names and names in Russian Mongolian studies, which naturally leads to their arbitrary spelling by each author, the conference participants supported the initiative of A.D. Tsendina to prepare a draft of general principles for unifying the spelling of Mongolian names and names, so that after coordination with leading linguists with the help of the Society of Mongolian Studies, start introducing them into the practice of Oriental publishing houses, institutes and scientific journals.

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