The Refuge of the Enemy of the Dharma: Qalqa Čogtu Qongtaiji’s Čagan Baiśing Stele Inscription
Sangseraima Ujeed
Issue Section Research
Keywords Tibet, Tibetan Buddhism, classical Tibetan literature, Mongolian, Inscription, Stele, Buddhism, Tibetan historiography, Tibetan poetry, Mongolia
Abstract
This article presents the translation and analysis of an object that has preserved the voice of one such individual. Namely, the stele of Čagan Baiśing, “The White Palace” of the Qalqa Mongolian prince Čogtu Qongtaiji (1581–1637). This stele, which was inscribed in 1617, is one of the earliest examples of Tibetan and Mongolian language bilingual steles from the post-Yuan pre-Qing period. By translating and contextualizing the contents of the stele's two facades, this article makes an enquiry into the usage of Tibetan and Mongolian by examining and comparing the contents of both sides of the stele. By analyzing the contents of the stele's facades, I will also demonstrate that the story of Čogtu Qongtaiji was more complex than we have been led to believe by the extent authoritative Tibetan and Mongolian language historiographical sources that have passed down to us.
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Sangseraima Ujeed
Published 2025-07-03
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