The Re-Evaluation of Chinggis Khan: Its Role in the Sino-Soviet Dispute

Abstract

The history of Mongolian nation current in world has not been written by Mongols, but by unsympathetic aliens who were directly or indirectly victims of Mongol conquerors. Traditionally, in China, Mongols have had a bad press, and more recently Russians have been particularly bitter in castigating Chinggis Khan and Mongol Empire. In west also a re-'evaluation of of Chinggis Khan in world history is long overdue. For decades past, Mongolian Communist Party maintained a negative attitude toward Mongol national hero. Today stands in a very delicate position between People's Republic of China and Soviet Union. The of Chinggis Khan in history is one of many points of contention between Moscow and Peking, and recently a re-evaluation of Chinggis Khan has occurred in both Russian sphere of Outer and Chinese sphere of Inner Mongolia, but with differing reactions in both places. Generally, Chinggis Khan has been condemned by Marxists as the chief of a fuedal clique who obstructed development of Mongolian people and whose role in world history was that of an imperialist. More recently, he has been appraised by Mongolian scholars in both Inner and Outer and by those in exile as having played a constructive as the builder of a united Mongolia and a distinguished statesman who contributed to development of Mongolian culture in areas of law, literature and so forth. Re-evaluation of Chinggis Khan in Mongolian People's Republic The particular occasion which prompted re-evaluation of Chinggis Khan, as well as controversy and purge that ensued thereafter, was 800th anniversary of birth of Mongol hero.' Since there is a strong sense of nationalism among Mongols, it was no surprise that such a re-evaluation should emerge even in face of Russian sensitivities on problem. Factors which facilitated this development were moderation of Soviet policy in Outer in conjunction with de-